交臂失之

jiāobìshīzhī
  1. to miss sb by a narrow chance
  2. to miss an opportunity

CEDICT

to narrowly miss a golden opportunity (to meet someone etc.)

Wiktionary

语本《庄子．田子方》：「吾终身与汝交一臂而失之，可不哀与？」指错失机会。《三国演义．第一四回》：「遇可事之主，而交臂失之，非丈夫也。」也作「失之交臂」、「失诸交臂」。

重編國語辭典

Entry Composition

1 交臂 jiāobì
  1. linking arms
  2. arm in arm
  3. very close
2 失 shī
  1. to lose
  2. to miss
  3. to fail
3 之 zhī
  1. (possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的 de)
  2. him
  3. her
  4. it

Related entries

坐失 zuòshī
  1. to let sth slip by
  2. to miss an opportunity