To escape [from the jaws of] death
To narrowly avoid death
Positive
他从那场灾难中死里逃生，后来成长为一名英勇的战士 | Tā cóng nà chǎng zāinàn zhōng sǐ lǐ táoshēng, hòulái chéngzhǎng wéi yī míng yīngyǒng
He escaped by the skin of his teeth from the disaster, then grew up to become a gallant warrior
[Source]
他闯过了敌人的封锁线，死里逃生，终于又回到了部队之中 | Tā chuǎngguò le dírén de fēngsuǒ xiàn, sǐ lǐ táoshēng, zhōngyú yòu huí dàole bùduì zhī zhōng
He broke through the enemy's blockade, surviving by the skin of his teeth, and finally returned to his unit
[Source]
Survive by the skin of one's teeth
None
None
《西厢记》(Xī Xiāng Jì), a work by Yuán Dynasty (元, 1279 - 1368) author 王实甫 (Wáng Shí Fǔ). It is often known in English as "Romance of the Western Chamber" or "Romance of the Western Wing."
This chengyu is from a line in the work listed in the "Origin" section above