jí急urgentzhōng中midstshēng生producezhì智wisdom
To hit upon an idea in desperation; to rise to an emergency.
Literal meaning
urgent (急) — midst (中) — produce (生) — wisdom (智)
Origin
A classical four-character phrase describing the ability to come up with a clever solution in a crisis.
Examples
Zài在wēi危jí急shí时kè刻，tā他jí急zhōng中shēng生zhì智，xiǎng想chū出le了yī一ge个hǎo好bàn办fǎ法。
In a moment of crisis, he came up with a good idea in desperation.
Miàn面duì对tū突fā发qíng情kuàng况，tā他jí急zhōng中shēng生zhì智，bì避miǎn免le了gèng更dà大de的sǔn损shī失。
Faced with a sudden situation, he rose to the occasion and avoided greater losses.
Usage & nuances
Implies a quick and clever solution to a difficult problem.
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