摇摇欲倒 yáo yáo yù dǎo about to collapse

Explanation

形容很快就要倒塌，或不稳固，很快就要垮台。

Describes something that is about to collapse or break down, is unstable, and will soon collapse.

Origin Story

话说唐朝时期，长安城外有一座古老的佛塔，历经风雨沧桑，如今已年久失修。塔身多处出现裂缝，墙体斑驳脱落，在强风的吹拂下，塔身摇摇欲倒，随时都有可能坍塌。许多僧人担忧不已，纷纷向朝廷求援，希望能得到修缮。然而，朝廷百事缠身，一时难以顾及。一天夜里，狂风暴雨肆虐，佛塔终于承受不住重压，轰然倒塌，引发了不小的震动。此事警示着人们要及时修补漏洞，才能避免灾难的发生，否则一旦到了摇摇欲倒的地步，后果不堪设想。

huà shuō táng cháo shíqī, cháng'ān chéng wài yǒu yī zuò gǔlǎo de fó tǎ, lì jīng fēngyǔ cāng sāng, rújīn yǐ nián jiǔ shī xiū. tǎ shēn duō chù chūxiàn lièfèng, qiángtǐ bānbó tuōluò, zài qiángfēng de chuīfú xià, tǎ shēn yáoyáo yù dǎo, suíshí dōu yǒu kěnéng tāntā. xǔduō sēngrén dānyōu bù yǐ, fēnfēn xiàng cháoting qiúyuán, xīwàng néng dédào xiūshàn. rán'ér, cháoting bǎishì chán shēn, yīshí nán yǐ gùjí. yītiān yè lǐ, kuángfēngbàoyǔ sìnuè, fó tǎ zhōngyú chéngshòu bù zhù zhòngyā, hōng rán dǎotā, yǐnfā le bù xiǎo de zhèndòng. cǐ shì jǐngshì zhe rénmen yào jíshí xiūbǔ lódòng, cáinéng bìmiǎn zāinàn de fāshēng, fǒuzé yīdàn dàole yáoyáo yù dǎo de dìbù, hòuguǒ bùkān sèxiǎng.

Once upon a time, during the Tang dynasty in ancient China, there was an old pagoda outside the city of Chang'an. It was very old and had been damaged by years of bad weather and neglect. The pagoda had many cracks and parts of its walls were crumbling. The pagoda was swaying and threatening to collapse at any moment. The monks who lived at the pagoda were deeply worried and asked the emperor for help to fix it. But the emperor was very busy with many other important issues. Then, one night, there was a fierce storm, and the pagoda finally could not stand the weight and crashed to the ground.

Usage

多用于比喻事物或局面不稳定，随时可能垮台。

duō yòng yú bǐyù shìwù huò júmiàn bù wěndìng, suíshí kěnéng kuǎ tái

Often used to describe the instability of situations or things that could collapse at any moment.

Examples

• 这栋危楼摇摇欲倒，随时可能坍塌。

  zhè dòng wēilóu yáoyáo yù dǎo, suíshí kěnéng tāntā

  This dilapidated building is about to collapse.

• 这个企业经营不善，已经摇摇欲倒了。

  zhège qǐyè jīngyíng bùshàn, yǐjīng yáoyáo yù dǎo le

  This poorly managed company is on the verge of collapse.

Related Idioms

• 摇摇欲坠

• 岌岌可危

Opposite Idioms

• 稳如泰山

• 坚如磐石