what does「今夜が峠です」mean?


When i was reading an entry about 暗峠 the writer mentioned an expression using
峠 which is「今夜が峠です」, they said that when a close person is seriously ill and
are on their deathbed this expression is often used.

> 親しい人が重病で、生死の境目にある時、我々は比喩的に“今夜が峠だな。”とよく言います。

So what does it mean exactly?

Is it something like they are expressing how difficult a situation it is since
峠 has the meaning of difficult part or does it have the subtle meaning of
wishing the ill person survives and expressing their sadness?

Are there any similar expressions in English?




峠 is the highest point of a mountain path.

It figuratively means the most difficult/hard point to overcome. So 今夜が峠だ
means one is the closest to death tonight.

I don't think it has a nuance of familiarness or sadness; it just describes
such a quite serious situation.

Another common phrase involving 峠 is 峠を越えた, which means one has survived and
is getting better.




峠 is the highest point of a mountain path.

It figuratively means the most difficult/hard point to overcome. So 今夜が峠だ
means one is the closest to death tonight.

I don't think it has a nuance of familiarness or sadness; it just describes
such a quite serious situation.

Another common phrase involving 峠 is 峠を越えた, which means one has survived and
is getting better.

