Chinese idiom · 成语
失之交臂
Meaning
To miss by a hair’s breadth; a narrowly lost opportunity.
Character by character
Origin and story
philosophical dialogueIn the Tian Zifang chapter of Zhuangzi, Yan Hui tells Confucius that he can imitate his teacher's words and actions but cannot keep up with something deeper in his way of being. The imagined dialogue explores continual change: trying to hold on to a fixed version of a person means missing what that person is becoming, even while remaining close enough for their arms to pass. This is a philosophical exchange, not a travel anecdote about two friends who fail to meet. The later idiom reverses the order of the underlying expression and describes an opportunity that slips past despite seeming very close.
Sources and further reading
In everyday life
我晚了十分钟提交申请，就这样与心仪的职位失之交臂。
I submitted my application ten minutes late and missed out on the job I had wanted.
Usually pairs 与 with the person, opportunity, or achievement missed.