Chinese word

无故

Pronunciation

Pinyinwú gù

Meaning

  • adverbfor no reason

Example

他无故对我生气。tā wú gù duì wǒ shēng qì

He got angry with me for no reason.

Illustration for 无故 (for no reason)

More examples

他因误会被无故指责。tā yīn wù huì bèi wú gù zhǐ zé

He was criticized for no reason because of a misunderstanding.

Core concept

An action or feeling that seems to arise with no visible cause behind it.

Common phrases

  • 无故指责wú gù zhǐ zé

    criticize for no reason

  • 无故担心wú gù dān xīn

    worry for no reason

  • 无故被捕wú gù bèi bǔ

    be arrested for no reason

Similar words

无缘无故wú yuán wú gù: With absolutely no reason or cause.
无端wú duān: Without any clear reason for an event or feeling to happen.
莫名其妙mò míng qí miào: In a way that seems unexplained and difficult to understand.

Definition in Chinese

表示没有原因地做某事或产生某种情绪。biǎo shì méi yǒu yuán yīn dì zuò mǒu shì huò chǎn shēng móu zhǒng qíng xù

Word origin

无 (wú, "not have") + 故 (gù, "reason") forms a word for an action or feeling that lacks a reason.

Usage tips

  • As an adverb, it usually comes before the verb and can suggest that the speaker sees the behavior as unjustified, so it often sounds mildly critical.

Opposites

Word lists with this word