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随机 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
随机suíjīaccording to the situationHSK 7, unknown, 17 strokes, rank #5833, Very Hard
随机suíjīpragmaticHSK 7, unknown, 17 strokes, rank #5833, Very Hard
随机suíjīrandomHSK 7, unknown, 17 strokes, rank #5833, Very Hard
suíjī(sui2ji1)sui ji T2
  1. 1according to the situation
  2. 2pragmatic
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March 24, 2026

随机(隨機)suíjī(sui2ji1)

随机 (suí jī) refers to actions or outcomes that occur without a fixed pattern or plan, often based on chance or situational factors. It is commonly used in contexts such as statistics, decision-making, and everyday scenarios where unpredictability is a factor, emphasizing flexibility and adaptability.

Strokes17Frequency#5833DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the concept of randomness is often linked to ideas of fate and chance, as seen in practices like fortune-telling or lottery games. This reflects a broader acceptance of uncertainty in life, contrasting with a more deterministic view in some Western cultures.

Memory tip

Think of 随 (sui) as 'following' and 机 (ji) as 'machine'. Imagine a machine that can randomly pick options, following the situation. Visualize a slot machine that randomly selects symbols based on chance, helping you remember that 随机 relates to randomness and flexibility.

Meanings of 随机

suíjī(sui2ji1)
1according to the situation
2pragmatic
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About 随机

随机Simplified
隨機Traditional
17Strokes
—Radical
副词fùcíadverb (adv.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

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Podcast: 随机

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AI study notes for 随机

Quick Contrast

随机 (suíjī) vs 任意 (rènyì) — use 随机 for chance-based outcomes, while 任意 emphasizes arbitrary choices without constraints.

Usage Notes

Learners should be careful not to confuse 随机 with similar words like 固定 (gù dìng), which means 'fixed' or 'set'. This term is more commonly used in informal contexts, so be mindful of your audience when using it. Common collocations include 随机选择 (suí jī xuǎn zé) meaning 'random selection'.

HSK Study Tips

While 随机 is not specifically listed in HSK vocabulary, it can be connected to HSK level 3 words like 选择 (xuǎn zé) which means 'choose'. Focus on understanding its usage in statistical contexts and practice with phrases that include the word.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is using 随机 to mean 'fixed' or 'predictable', such as saying '这个结果是随机的' (zhè ge jié guǒ shì suí jī de, meaning 'this result is fixed'). The correct usage would be '这个结果是随机的' which implies the result is random.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 随机

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Component characters

随suíto follow
HSK 511 strokes阝
View full entry
机Jīmachine
HSK 16 strokes木
View full entry

How to say according to the situation in Chinese

“according to the situation” in Chinese is随机suíjī

随机 (suí jī) refers to actions or outcomes that occur without a fixed pattern or plan, often based on chance or situational factors. It is commonly used in contexts such as statistics, decision-making, and everyday scenarios where unpredictability is a factor, emphasizing flexibility and adaptability.

When to use 随机

Learners should be careful not to confuse 随机 with similar words like 固定 (gù dìng), which means 'fixed' or 'set'. This term is more commonly used in informal contexts, so be mindful of your audience when using it. Common collocations include 随机选择 (suí jī xuǎn zé) meaning 'random selection'.

随机 or something close to it

随机 (suíjī) vs 任意 (rènyì) — use 随机 for chance-based outcomes, while 任意 emphasizes arbitrary choices without constraints.

What learners get wrong

A common mistake is using 随机 to mean 'fixed' or 'predictable', such as saying '这个结果是随机的' (zhè ge jié guǒ shì suí jī de, meaning 'this result is fixed'). The correct usage would be '这个结果是随机的' which implies the result is random.

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随
机

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Cultural Notes for 随机

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

The idea of randomness in decision-making can be seen as more accepted in Chinese culture, where fate plays a significant role, compared to Western cultures that often emphasize control and planning.

Frequently asked questions about 随机

You can say: '我们随机选择一名幸运者' (Wǒmen suí jī xuǎn zé yī míng xìng yùn zhě), meaning 'We will randomly select a lucky winner.'

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