How do you pronounce 如临深渊?

如临深渊 is pronounced rú lín shēn yuān in Mandarin Chinese.

What does 如临深渊 literally mean?

Literally, 如临深渊 means “as if standing on the brink of a deep abyss”. It is used to mean “to be extremely cautious and vigilant, as if standing on the edge of a deep abyss; to act with utmost care and circumspection”.

Where does 如临深渊 come from?

如临深渊 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.

What is the Chinese definition of 如临深渊?

临：靠近；渊：深水坑。如同处于深渊边缘一般。比喻存有戒心，行事极为谨慎。

如临深渊 — “As if standing on the brink of a deep abyss”

如临深渊 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to be extremely cautious and vigilant, as if standing on the edge of a deep abyss; to act with utmost care and circumspection”. Literally, “as if standing on the brink of a deep abyss”.

Frequency

如临深渊 Pronunciation and Pinyin

如rú
临lín
深shēn
渊yuān

如临深渊 Character Breakdown

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
如	rú	6	like, as, if
临	lín	9	to approach or overlook
深	shēn	11	deep, profound, or dark
渊	yuān	11	deep profound abyss

Example Sentence with 如临深渊

新员工在学习阶段，对每一个任务都如临深渊，小心翼翼地完成。

During their learning phase, new employees approach every task with extreme caution, as if standing on the brink of a deep abyss, completing them with great care.

Origin and Story of 如临深渊

Empress Ma of the Eastern Han Dynasty Emperor Ming was kind-hearted and had a deep understanding of righteousness. She was very fond of Liu Da, who was born to Consort Jia.

When Liu Da succeeded to the throne as Emperor Zhang of Han, he honored Empress Ma as the Empress Dowager. He repeatedly suggested conferring titles upon Empress Ma's brothers, but Empress Ma refused.

However, her nephew Ma Yu complained about not receiving more favors. Yang Zhong advised Ma Liao to be as if facing a deep abyss and treading on thin ice, urging him not to indulge his son.

Idioms Related to 如临深渊

Synonyms of 如临深渊

Antonyms of 如临深渊

rú如lǚ履píng平dì地handle a difficult task with ease

More idioms starting with 如

Questions about 如临深渊

What does 如临深渊 mean?: 如临深渊 (rú lín shēn yuān) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to be extremely cautious and vigilant, as if standing on the edge of a deep abyss; to act with utmost care and circumspection”.
How do you pronounce 如临深渊?: 如临深渊 is pronounced rú lín shēn yuān in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 如临深渊 literally mean?: Literally, 如临深渊 means “as if standing on the brink of a deep abyss”. It is used to mean “to be extremely cautious and vigilant, as if standing on the edge of a deep abyss; to act with utmost care and circumspection”.
Where does 如临深渊 come from?: 如临深渊 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 如临深渊?: 临：靠近；渊：深水坑。如同处于深渊边缘一般。比喻存有戒心，行事极为谨慎。

Copy the pinyin for 如临深渊 →Choose tone marks or tone numbers and copy the complete four-character reading.Read Chinese vocabulary and idiom guides →Continue with words, phrases, and idioms explained through natural examples.