偶然 (ǒu rán) — (adjective) accidental, by chance; happening wi… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

偶然 (ǒurán) is an adjective describing an event that happens by chance, without planning. As a frequency word, use 偶尔 (adverb) 'once in a while'; 偶然 emphasizes a single unplanned occurrence.

adjective

accidentalby chancehappening without prior arrangement or intention

Examples

偶然，。
Yí cì ǒu rán de jī huì, wǒ qù le zhōng guó.
By a chance opportunity, I went to China.
偶然。
Tā men de xiāng yù fēi cháng ǒu rán.
Their meeting was very coincidental.
偶然，。
Tā de chéng gōng bìng bù ǒu rán, ér shì nǔ lì de jié guǒ.
His success wasn't accidental; it was the result of hard work.

Origin

Derived word

构词法gòucífǎ

后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

偶ǒuchance

偶 contributes the idea of chance, and 然 completes the sense of accidental.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

亻禺偶

Meaning part形符xíngfú

亻Written in full as人rénperson

Sound part声符shēngfú

禺

禺yú偶ǒu

Same sound today

偶 pairs 亻 (person) with 禺 for the sound. The evidence describes it as a statue of a person, an idol.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

火火huǒfire

Sound part声符shēngfú

肰

肰rán然rán

Same sound today

然 is made from 肰, which gives the sound, and 火, which shows fire, matching the old sense 'to burn'.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 5 HSK 2.0 Level 5 Abstract Concepts 5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

Browse more HSK 5 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.