鼻はな差さ

noun

by a nose; photo finish

Primarily a horse racing term for a very narrow margin of victory, but can be used figuratively for any extremely close contest.

• 彼かれの馬うまは鼻はな差さで優ゆう勝しょうした。

  His horse won by a nose.

• 選せん挙きょはまさに鼻はな差さの勝しょう負ぶだった。

  The election was truly a photo-finish contest.