Setogiwa (瀬戸際 - Brink)

Have you ever teetered on the brink of life-or-death or win-or-lose.

Such a situation is called "setogiwa" (瀬戸際) in Japan.

"Seto" (瀬戸) of setogiwa means a strait that is narrowed by two land masses, and "giwa" (際) means a boundary.

That is to say, the original meaning of setogiwa is a boundary between a strait and sea.

By extension, setogiwa has come to refer to an important branch point in our lives.

In English, it seems to be expressed as "brink" or "edge" -- I think that the etymology of setogiwa is almost same as these words.

瀬戸際

あなたは勝つか負けるか、生きるか死ぬかなど、運命の分かれ目に立ったことはありますか？

日本ではこのような状況を「瀬戸際」と言います。

「瀬戸」は陸地が接近して海が狭くなっている所を意味し、「際」は境界を意味します。

すなわち「瀬戸際」は、「狭い海峡と海の境目」ということを意味します。

これが転じて、重要な分岐点などを瀬戸際と表現するようになりました。

英語では "brink" や "edge" などと表現するようですが、日本語の語源とほぼ同じように思います。

• Have you ever teetered on the brink of life-or-death or win-or-lose.
• Have you ever teetered on the brink of life-or-death or win-or-lose?

• "Seto" (瀬戸) of setogiwa means a strait that is narrowed by two land masses, and "giwa" (際) means a boundary.
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• By extension, setogiwa has come to refer to an important branch point in our lives.
• By extension, setogiwa has come to refer to an important crossroads in our lives.

  「branch point」はちょっと変です。「crossroads」の方が自然だと思います。

• In English, it seems to be expressed as "brink" or "edge" -- I think that the etymology of setogiwa is almost same as these words.
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!