差點沒

差點沒

1. (colloquial) almost; nearly

   我差點兒沒掉進這坑兒裡，幸虧我眼神兒還不算太差。 [MSC, trad.]
   我差点儿没掉进这坑儿里，幸亏我眼神儿还不算太差。 [MSC, simp.]

   Wǒ chàdiǎnr méi diào jìn zhè kēngr lǐ, xìngkuī wǒ yǎnshénr hái bùsuàn tài chà. [Pinyin]

   I almost fell in this pit; fortunately my eyesight was not so bad.

   • 不過，在朋友與捐獻志願者的幫助下，小伙最終實現了捐獻造血幹細胞。……劉波說，其實內心也經歷過掙扎，一直到高配成功後體檢前，他差點沒放棄 [MSC, trad.]
     不过，在朋友与捐献志愿者的帮助下，小伙最终实现了捐献造血干细胞。……刘波说，其实内心也经历过挣扎，一直到高配成功后体检前，他差点没放弃 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 2018, 《铁岭小伙给四川患者捐造血干细胞》, 华商晨报

     Bùguò, zài péngyou yǔ juānxiàn zhìyuànzhě de bāngzhù xià, xiǎohuǒ zuìzhōng shíxiàn le juānxiàn zàoxuè gànxìbāo....... Liú Bō shuō, qíshí nèixīn yě jīnglì guò zhēngzhá, yīzhí dào gāopèi chénggōng hòu tǐjiǎn qián, tā chàdiǎn méi fàngqì [Pinyin]

     However, with the help of his friends and other donation volunteers, he was eventually able to donate his haematopoietic stem cells. […] Liu Bo said that in fact he had doubted himself as well in the process, even until the moment he was about to have a general physical examination when his cells were found to be matching at high resolution. He almost gave up […]

2. (emphasising 沒) almost not

   我差點兒沒掉進這坑兒裡，還好我這個月減了六斤。 [MSC, trad.]
   我差点儿没掉进这坑儿里，还好我这个月减了六斤。 [MSC, simp.]

   Wǒ chàdiǎnr méi diào jìn zhè kēngr lǐ, háihǎo wǒ zhège yuè jiǎn le liù jīn. [Pinyin]

   I almost could not fall in this pit; fortunately I lost three kilos this month.

   • 腿骨折，求救信號差點沒發出……
     兩人得以在天黑前住進了帳篷，但衛星電話、手機都沒有信號，連報警電話都打不出去。將近21點，突然有了信號，王琳才聯繫上了朋友蔣某某。 [MSC, trad.]
     腿骨折，求救信号差点没发出……
     两人得以在天黑前住进了帐篷，但卫星电话、手机都没有信号，连报警电话都打不出去。将近21点，突然有了信号，王琳才联系上了朋友蒋某某。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 2018, 《穿越格聂景区 无锡女游客左腿骨折被困40多个小时》, 成都商报电子版

     Tuǐ gǔzhé, qiújiù xìnhào chàdiǎn méi fāchū......
     Liǎng rén déyǐ zài tiān hēi qián zhù jìn le zhàngpeng, dàn wèixīng diànhuà, shǒujī dōu méiyǒu xìnhào, lián bàojǐng diànhuà dōu dǎ bù chūqù. Jiāngjìn 21 diǎn, tūrán yǒu le xìnhào, Wáng Lín cái liánxì shàng le péngyou Jiǎng Mǒumǒu. [Pinyin]

     Fractured Her Bone, and Nearly Could Not Send Out a Distress Signal […]
     The two managed to set up a tent to stay for the night before it became dark, but their mobile phones and satellite phones were without reception and they were not even able to make emergency calls. Wang Lin was only able to contact her friend (Ms./Mr. Jiang) when there was some reception close to 9 pm.

This is a contranym ― its meaning varies depending on context and the way it is said. This phenomenon is termed “redundant negation” (羨餘否定).

• 差一點沒／差一点没 (chàyīdiǎn méi)