This is the 1434th most frequent Korean word.
자칫
"자칫" means "at the slightest misstep" or "nearly/almost."
In this sentence, '자칫' is used to indicate that a small or slight thing could potentially lead to an undesired or serious consequence.
자칫 잘못하면 사고가 날 뻔했어요.
A small mistake could have almost caused an accident.
Here, '자칫' emphasizes the ease at which timing errors could result in missing the train, focusing on the potential for a minor misstep to have significant outcomes.
자칫 늦으면 기차를 놓칠 수도 있어요.
If you're slightly late, you might miss the train.
In this context, '자칫' reflects the conditional likelihood of losing an opportunity if not attentive, showcasing slight negligence leading to missing out.