The word "失之交臂" is formed from four characters: 失 means "to lose", 之 is a grammatical particle linking elements, 交 means "to cross" or "meet", and 臂 means "arm". Literally, it conveys "losing it by the crossing of arms", where the combination creates an image of missing something by a narrow margin, as if an opportunity slips away just as arms are about to touch.