巧合 (qiǎo hé) — coincidental; happening by chance | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

巧合 emphasizes two things aligning by chance as a fortunate accident, more so than the neutral 偶然 ('by accident'). Use as an adjective or noun (一个巧合 = 'a coincidence').

adjective

coincidentalhappening by chance

Examples

巧合。
Zhè jiàn shì tài qiǎo hé le.
This matter is too coincidental.
巧合。
Wǒ men tóng shí dào dá wán quán shì qiǎo hé de.
Our arriving at the same time was completely coincidental.
巧合。
qiǎo hé De shì qing jīng cháng fā shēng.
Coincidental things often happen.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

巧qiǎoby chance

合 (fit together) happens 巧 (by chance), giving coincidence.

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.

工丂巧

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

丂

丂kǎo巧qiǎo

Same sound today

巧 is made of 工 and 丂; 工 points to its meaning, and 丂 points to its sound.

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

亼口合

亼亼jí
口口kǒumouth

合 shows 亼 and 口 arranged as two mouths speaking together.

Appears in

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