Japanese word

偶然

Pronunciation

Romajigūzen

Meaning

  • na-adjectiveby chance

Example

私たちが会ったのは偶然です。watashi ta chi ga a tta no wa gū zen de su

We met by chance.

Illustration for 偶然 (by chance)

More examples

旅行先で偶然に昔の友達と再会しました。ryo kō saki de gū zen ni mukashi no tomo dachi to sai kai shi ma shi ta

I happened to meet an old friend again while traveling.

Core concept

It marks something as resulting from circumstances rather than intention, prediction, or a deliberate connection.

Common phrases

  • 偶然に会うgū zen ni a u

    meet by chance

  • 偶然に見つけるgū zen ni mi tsu ke ru

    find by chance

Similar words

意外igai: It describes something that is unexpected or different from what was anticipated.
不意fui: It describes something that happens unexpectedly, without warning or preparation.

Definition in Japanese

人の意図やあらかじめの取り決めとは関係なく、物事がたまたま生じるさま。hito no i to ya a ra ka ji me no to ri ki me to wa kan kei na ku mono goto ga ta ma ta ma shō ji ru sa ma

Word origin

偶然 (gūzen, "by chance") is a Sino-Japanese compound inherited from Literary Chinese, joining 偶 (gū, "unexpectedly") with 然 (zen, "so or in that state").

Usage tips

  • In everyday conversation, 偶然 (gūzen) commonly describes an unplanned meeting or discovery that stands out as unexpected.

Other meanings

  • coincidencenoun
  • chancenoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word