瀬戸際

せとぎわ

Common word

noun

•

brink, critical moment

瀬	rapids, current, torrent, shallows, shoal
戸	door, counter for houses, door radical (no. 63)
際	occasion, side, edge, verge, dangerous, adventurous, indecent, time, when

かれ

し

せとぎわ

He was at the gate of death

いま

い

し

It's a do-or-die situation

せとぎわ

The situation has come to the point where we either sink or swim