ngau5 jin4偶然
Jyutpingngau5 jin4
Yalengáuh yìhn
Definition
By chance, accidentally, or coincidentally without planning.
neutraldaily actions
How it's used
Use this to describe events that lack a deliberate plan or prior intent. It often implies a sense of surprise or lack of causality, making it distinct from simply doing something without thinking. In casual speech, it is frequently replaced by the phrase 咁啱.
Examples
I bumped into an old classmate by chance on the street.
Do you think this happened by accident?
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe intentional actions that just happened to turn out well, as that would imply a lack of effort. It is strictly for events that occur without human design or expectation.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
