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verb HSK 3
Traditional 發生
fā shēng
to happen · to occur · to take place

Meaning

发生 describes events, incidents, or situations that come into being or take place. It's used for things that happen in time, whether planned or unexpected, and is one of the most common ways to express occurrence in Mandarin.

Usage

发生 is typically used with events, accidents, changes, or situations as the subject. It's neutral in tone and works for both positive and negative events. Commonly appears in the pattern 'subject + 发生 + (了)' or '发生 + object'. Often used in news reports and formal contexts to describe incidents.

Examples

  1. 01
    昨天晚上这里发生了一起交通事故。
    Zuó tiān wǎn shang zhè lǐ fā shēng le yī qǐ jiāo tōng shì gù.
    A traffic accident occurred here last night.
  2. 02
    如果发生紧急情况，请立即联系我。
    Rú guǒ fā shēng jǐn jí qíng kuàng, qǐng lì jí lián xì wǒ.
    If an emergency occurs, please contact me immediately.

Characters

Common collocations

  • 发生事故
    fā shēng shì gù
    an accident occurs
  • 发生变化
    fā shēng biàn huà
    change occurs
  • 发生关系
    fā shēng guān xì
    to have a relationship (often intimate)
  • 发生冲突
    fā shēng chōng tū
    conflict breaks out

Origin

The combination literally means 'to emit life/being' or 'to produce existence,' reflecting the idea of something coming into being or manifesting in reality.

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