lingering life; feeble existence; brink of ruin
Literary noun describing a state of barely surviving, a life hanging by a thread, or a situation on the verge of collapse. Often used in dramatic or historical contexts.
After the war, he lived a life barely clinging to survival.
The organization is now nothing more than a lingering shadow of its former self.
Composed of 余 (remaining, lingering) and 喘 (pant, gasp). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the combination suggests the image of a last, labored breath or a remnant of life.