brink

Compared meaning: being about to happen or experience something (noun).

比较义项：即将发生某事的边缘状态（n.）。

• verge

  Verge is broader and often describes being about to feel or do something (tears, laughter, a decision), not only major events; it also has a literal sense meaning a physical edge, not compared here.

  verge的含义更宽泛，常用来表示即将产生某种感受或做出某种行为（如流泪、发笑、做决定），不仅限于重大事件；它还有“物体的边缘”这一字面义项，此处不作比较。

  She was on the verge of tears during the sad movie.

  她在看那部悲伤的电影时快要流泪了。

• brink 本词

  Brink typically marks a critical, high-stakes turning point - often disaster, collapse, or war - giving it a more dramatic, formal tone than verge in this idiom.

  brink通常标志着一个关键的、后果重大的转折点——常与灾难、崩溃或战争等相关，因此在这个习语中比verge的语气更戏剧化、更正式。

  The company was on the brink of closing before new investors arrived.

  在新投资者到来之前，这家公司濒临倒闭。

Verge and brink both appear in 'on the verge/brink of', meaning something is about to happen. Brink is stronger, marking a major or dangerous turning point like war. Verge is more neutral, also used for feelings like tears. Their literal edge meanings are not compared.

verge和brink都常出现在“on the verge/brink of”这一结构中，表示某事即将发生，因此学习者容易混淆；但brink语气更强烈、更正式，通常指重大甚至危险的转折点（如战争、破产、崩溃），而verge更中性、适用范围更广，也可以指流泪、发笑等情绪即将出现的时刻。此处不比较verge表示“路边、地带边缘”的字面义项，也不比较brink表示“悬崖、河岸边缘”的字面义项。