noun, noun, used as a suffix
just before; on the verge of; on the brink of
Used as a suffix after nouns or verb stems to indicate an imminent event or state. Often appears in dramatic or urgent contexts.
出発寸前に雨が降り出した。
It started raining just before departure.
He turned around a company that was on the verge of bankruptcy.
noun, noun, used as a suffix
just in front of; just ahead of
Less common spatial use; typically found in literary or descriptive writing. In modern speech, 直前 or 目の前 are more natural for physical location.
車は信号寸前で止まった。
The car stopped just before the traffic light.