adverb HSK 5
by chance · by coincidence · happen to · as it happens
Meaning
碰巧 describes something happening unexpectedly by chance or coincidence, without planning. It emphasizes the accidental nature of an event or encounter. The word combines 碰 (to bump into, encounter) with 巧 (coincidentally, skillfully), literally suggesting bumping into something coincidentally.
Usage
碰巧 typically appears before a verb phrase to indicate the action happened by chance. It's commonly used in spoken and written Chinese to explain fortunate or unfortunate coincidences. Often interchangeable with 恰巧 or 正好, though 碰巧 emphasizes the accidental nature more strongly.
Examples
- 01我昨天去超市碰巧遇到了老同学。.Yesterday I happened to run into an old classmate at the supermarket.
- 02他打电话来的时候，我碰巧在家。, .When he called, I happened to be at home.
Characters
Common collocations
- 碰巧遇到happen to encounter
- 碰巧在happen to be at
- 真碰巧what a coincidence
Antonyms
Origin
The compound combines 碰 (physical encounter/collision) with 巧 (skillful/coincidental timing), creating the meaning of a chance encounter or fortunate timing.