Korean word

우연히

Pronunciation

Romanizationuyeonhi

Meaning

  • adverbby chance

Example

길을 가다가 우연히 친구를 만났어요.ki reul ka da ga u yeon hi chin gu reul man na sseo yo

As I was walking along, I met a friend by chance.

Illustration for 우연히 (by chance)

More examples

인터넷에서 우연히 좋은 정보를 알게 되었어요.in teo ne se seo u yeon hi cho eun cheong bo reul al ge toe eo sseo yo

I happened to find some useful information on the internet.

Core concept

Something occurs on its own, outside the plans or intentions of the people involved.

Common phrases

  • 우연히 알게 되다u yeon hi al ge toe da

    find out by chance

  • 우연히 보게 되다u yeon hi po ge toe da

    see by chance

  • 우연히 듣게 되다u yeon hi teut kke toe da

    hear by chance

Similar words

뜻밖에tteutppakke: Something happens in a way that no one expected, creating surprise.
마침machim: Something happens at just the moment when it fits the situation.
어쩌다eojjeoda: A meeting or discovery happens accidentally while events unfold.

Definition in Korean

계획이나 의도 없이 어떤 일이 일어났음을 나타내는 부사.kye hoe gi na ui do eop ssi eo tteon i ri i reo na sseu meul na ta nae neun pu sa

Word origin

우연히 (uyeonhi, "by chance") is 우연 (uyeon, "chance") plus 히 (hi, "adverb-forming suffix"), so the form makes the idea of chance modify an event.

Usage tips

  • The word can describe a pleasant surprise or a neutral coincidence, so it does not by itself show whether the result is good or bad.

Other meanings

  • unexpectedlyadverb

Opposites

  • 고의로kouirodeliberatelyadverb
  • 의도적으로uidojeogeurointentionallyadverb

Related words

  • 우연uyeonchancenoun
  • 우연하다uyeonhadacoincidentaladjective

Word lists with this word