偶然

• Reading: ぐうぜん
• Romaji: guuzen
• Kanji breakdown: 偶 (guu) — accidentally, by chance, pair; 然 (zen/nen) — so, thus, nature
• Pronunciation: /ɡɯː.zeɴ/

Meaning

Coincidence; chance; accident; by chance. Describes something that happens without planning or intention.

Functions as a noun, na-adjective, no-adjective, and adverb. As an adverb: 偶然会った (met by chance). As a noun: 偶然の出会い (chance encounter). The opposite is 必然 (hitsuzen, necessity/inevitability). Very common in storytelling and anecdotes.

Examples

1. 駅で偶然、高校の同級生に会いました。 I ran into a high school classmate by chance at the station.
2. それは偶然ではなく運命だと思います。 I think that wasn't a coincidence — it was fate.
3. 偶然同じ電車に乗っていたことに気づいた。 I realized we had happened to be on the same train.

Usage Guide

Context: storytelling, daily life, social situations

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 偶 (guu, accidentally/by chance) and 然 (zen, so/thus). 偶 originally meant a pair or couple, and extended to mean something happening alongside — by chance.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal