歪打正着 (wāi dǎ zhèng zháo) — to succeed by accident; a lucky fluke; (idiom) to hit the mark despite using the wrong method

Definition

A chengyu meaning 'a lucky fluke' — succeeding by accident, not skill, often through a wrong approach that happens to work out. Use it to describe an unintentional win or correct guess.

verb
to succeed by accidenta lucky fluke
idiom
to hit the mark despite using the wrong method

Examples

  • 歪打正着，。
    Zhè cì bǐ sài tā wāi dǎ zhèng zháo, jū rán ná le dì yī.
    He scored a lucky hit in this competition and surprisingly took first place.
  • ，歪打正着。
    Wǒ běn lái méi bào xī wàng, jié guǒ wāi dǎ zhèng zháo chéng gōng le.
    I didn't have any hope at first, but it turned out to be a lucky hit and I succeeded.
  • ，歪打正着。
    Tā de dá àn wán quán shì cāi de, què wāi dǎ zhèng zháo dá duì le.
    His answer was a complete guess, yet he somehow hit the mark by luck.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

歪 is written with 不 (not) above 正 (straight; proper), so the shape shows something that is not straight.

Open 歪 →

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
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng打dǎ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

打 uses 扌, a hand, to show an action done with the hand, and 丁 to give the sound.

Open 打 →

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
止止zhǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng正zhèng
Same sound today

正 pairs 止 with 丁; 止 marks the sense and 丁 gives the sound.

Open 正 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 著; 着 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艸艸cǎograss; plant
Sound part声符shēngfú
者
者zhě著zháo
Same sound today

The traditional form 著 puts 艸 (grass; plant) above 者, which gives the sound; the simplified 着 is a later shorthand.

Open 着 →

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