1. the extreme edge of land before a steep slope or a body of water
（陡坡或水域前的）邊緣，邊沿
She stood on the brink of the cliff, looking down at the crashing waves.
她站在懸崖邊緣，俯瞰著拍岸的浪濤。
The path led them to the brink of a deep canyon.
小徑將他們引至一道深峽谷的邊緣。
Brink Meaning（定義、用法、例句與發音）
brink
noun
快速理解
What does "Brink" mean?What are 2-3 core uses of "Brink"?
指某個邊緣或即將發生重大變化的關鍵時刻。
- 1
物理邊緣
EN: the edge of a steep place or of land bordering water
翻譯: 陡峭處或水陸交界處的邊緣。
- 2
重大事件前夕
EN: the point at which something is about to begin or occur
翻譯: 某事即將開始或發生的臨界點。
- 3
危險邊緣
EN: the verge of a dangerous or exciting situation
翻譯: 處於危險或令人興奮的局勢邊緣。
小提醒：「brink」常與「on the brink of」搭配使用，表示「瀕臨…的邊緣」，後面接名詞或動名詞，例如「on the brink of collapse」（瀕臨崩潰）。
發音（How to Pronounce "Brink" in English）
How to pronounce "Brink" in English?"Brink" US vs UK pronunciation
點擊下方的 US / UK 按鈕可播放發音。
Real-life Examples of "Brink" from YouTube Videos
What you don't know about marriage | Jenna McCarthy
TED
“Now, if you're not currently experiencing the joy of the joint tax return, I can't tell you how to find a chore-loving person of the approximately ideal size and attractiveness, who prefers horror movies and doesn't have a lot of friends hovering on the brink of divorce.”
(1 out of 8)
Definitions（定義）
What are the definitions of "Brink"?How does "Brink" change by context?
2. the point in time when something is about to begin or happen, especially something important or dangerous
（尤指重要或危險事件）即將發生的時刻，邊緣
The two nations were on the brink of war.
兩國當時處於戰爭的邊緣。
His reckless decisions brought the company to the brink of bankruptcy.
他魯莽的決策將公司帶到了破產的邊緣。
3. a state of being very close to a new and different condition, especially a better or worse one
（尤指更好或更壞的）新狀態的臨界點
Scientists believe they are on the brink of a major breakthrough in renewable energy.
科學家們相信他們正處於可再生能源重大突破的臨界點。
The patient was teetering on the brink of consciousness.
病人當時在意識的邊緣搖搖欲墜。
Grammar & Patterns（句型）
What are common sentence patterns for "Brink"?How to make natural sentences with "Brink"?
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| on the brink of + noun | 瀕臨…的邊緣 | The company is on the brink of bankruptcy. (這家公司瀕臨破產的邊緣。) |
| on the brink of + V-ing | 瀕臨…的邊緣 | The two nations were on the brink of declaring war. (兩國瀕臨宣戰的邊緣。) |
| at the brink of + noun | 在…的邊緣 | He stood at the brink of the cliff, looking down. (他站在懸崖邊緣往下看。) |
| bring/push someone to the brink of + noun | 將某人推向…的邊緣 | The crisis pushed the economy to the brink of collapse. (這場危機將經濟推向了崩潰的邊緣。) |
| teeter on the brink of + noun | 搖搖欲墜地處於…邊緣 | The old regime teetered on the brink of revolution. (舊政權搖搖欲墜地處於革命的邊緣。) |
用法說明
How is "Brink" different from similar structures?What usage mistakes are common with "Brink"?
on the brink of vs at the brink of
- on the brink of 是最常見且標準的搭配，用於表示某人或某事處於某個重大事件（通常是負面或關鍵轉折點）的邊緣。
- at the brink of 在語法上可以接受，但使用頻率遠低於 on the brink of。它更側重於描述一個靜態的「位置」或「地點」。
- 在絕大多數情況下，尤其是在表示「瀕臨、即將」發生某事時，建議使用 on the brink of。 EN: The company is on the brink of bankruptcy. 翻譯: 這家公司瀕臨破產。
EN:The explorers stood at the brink of the canyon, amazed by the view.
翻譯:探險者們站在峽谷的邊緣，對眼前的景色驚嘆不已。
總結建議
表達「瀕臨、即將」時，統一使用 on the brink of 是最安全且最自然的選擇。
易混淆對比
What is the difference between "Brink" and similar words?How to choose "Brink" vs alternatives?
brink vs edge
「brink」強調的是即將發生重大變化的臨界點，常帶有抽象或比喻的危險性；「edge」則更常指具體的邊緣或界限。
brink vs verge
「brink」和「verge」常可互換，但「brink」的戲劇性和危險感更強，而「verge」較中性，更接近「門檻」或「起始點」。
brink vs threshold
「brink」強調不穩定、危險的臨界狀態；「threshold」則強調進入新階段、新狀態的起始點或最低限度。
口語用法
How is "Brink" used in spoken English?What is the spoken vs formal difference for "Brink"?
引述
用於引述或轉述他人對某種危險或極限狀態的描述，常與 say、talk about、describe 等動詞連用。
EN: He kept talking about being on the brink of a major discovery.
翻譯: 他不停談論自己正處於重大發現的邊緣。
EN:She described the company as on the brink of collapse.
翻譯:她形容這家公司瀕臨崩潰。
語氣強調
在口語中，常用來誇張地強調情況極度危急或即將發生重大變化，以加強語氣。 EN: I swear, I was on the brink of losing my mind during that meeting. 翻譯: 我發誓，在那場會議中我簡直快要瘋了。
EN:Our friendship is on the brink because of what you did.
翻譯:因為你做的事，我們的友誼岌岌可危。
停頓填充
在思考或組織語言時，作為短暫的停頓填充詞，引出後續要描述的關鍵狀態或決定性時刻。 EN: And then we were just... on the brink of giving up, when the solution appeared. 翻譯: 然後我們就只是…在快要放棄的邊緣時，解決方法出現了。
EN:The negotiations were, you know, on the brink... and then they pulled it off.
翻譯:談判當時，你知道的，處於崩潰邊緣…然後他們就成功了。
正式寫作注意：在學術或正式商業報告中，建議使用更精確的詞彙（如 verge、threshold、imminent）來替代口語化的 on the brink of，以保持語氣的客觀與嚴謹。
常見短語
What common collocations use "Brink"?What fixed phrases with "Brink" should I remember?
on the brink of
on the brink of [noun/gerund]
瀕臨…的邊緣，即將發生…
on the brink of war
on the brink of war
處於戰爭邊緣
on the brink of disaster
on the brink of disaster
瀕臨災難
on the brink of collapse
on the brink of collapse
瀕臨崩潰/倒塌
on the brink of success
on the brink of success
瀕臨成功，成功在望
on the brink of tears
on the brink of tears
眼淚盈眶，快要哭出來
push to the brink
push [someone/something] to the brink
將…推向邊緣/極限
teeter on the brink
teeter on the brink (of)
搖搖欲墜，處於…的危險邊緣
常見錯誤
What are common mistakes with "Brink"?Which "Brink" sentences look correct but are wrong?
×He is on the brink to collapse.
✓He is on the brink of collapse.
「brink」後必須接介系詞「of」，表示「處於...的邊緣」，不能接不定詞「to」。
×She stood at the brink of the swimming pool.
✓She stood at the edge of the swimming pool.
「brink」通常用於比喻性的、戲劇性的或危險的邊緣（如災難、戰爭、崩潰），不適合用於描述游泳池、桌子等實體物體的普通邊緣。應使用「edge」。
×I'm on the brink to finish my homework.
✓I'm about to finish my homework.
「brink」用於描述極度接近某個重大、關鍵或通常是不好的狀態或事件。對於日常、中性或即將完成的動作，應使用「about to」或「on the verge of」。
×They pushed the economy over brink.
✓They pushed the economy over the brink.
片語「push/pull/tip someone/something over the brink」中的定冠詞「the」不能省略，意指「使...越過臨界點，陷入（災難等）」。
×We are at the brink to make a decision.
✓We are on the brink of making a decision.
「on the brink of」後面接名詞或動名詞（V-ing），不能接原形動詞。
詞形變化
What are the word forms of "Brink"?What are tense/participle forms of "Brink"?