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凑巧 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
凑巧còuqiǎofortuitouslyHSK 7, unknown, 16 strokes, rank #11837, Very Hard
凑巧còuqiǎoluckilyHSK 7, unknown, 16 strokes, rank #11837, Very Hard
凑巧còuqiǎoas chance has itHSK 7, unknown, 16 strokes, rank #11837, Very Hard
còuqiǎo(cou4qiao3)cou qiao T4
  1. 1fortuitously
  2. 2luckily
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March 24, 2026

凑巧(湊巧)còuqiǎo(cou4qiao3)

The term 凑巧 (còu qiǎo) means 'by chance' or 'fortuitously.' It is used to describe situations where events occur unexpectedly or coincidentally, often with a positive outcome. This phrase is commonly used in everyday conversation to highlight serendipitous moments.

Strokes16Frequency#11837DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the idea of 'chance' is often celebrated in daily life, with many believing that fate plays a significant role in events. This belief is reflected in stories and sayings about serendipity and unexpected encounters.

Memory Tip

Imagine two friends, one named Cou and the other named Qiao, who accidentally bump into each other at a café just when they both needed a chat. The characters 凑 (còu) and 巧 (qiǎo) can be visualized as 'coming together' (凑) in a 'clever' (巧) way, symbolizing the lucky coincidence.

Meanings of 凑巧

còuqiǎo(cou4qiao3)
1fortuitously
2luckily
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 凑巧

凑巧Simplified
湊巧Traditional
16Strokes
—Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedTOCFLL5CEFRC2

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Podcast: 凑巧

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AI Study Notes for 凑巧

Quick Contrast

巧合 (qiǎohé) — use 凑巧 when emphasizing a chance occurrence, while 巧合 focuses more on coincidence itself.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 凑巧 with similar phrases like 恰好 (qià hǎo), which also means 'just right' but lacks the element of chance. It's used in informal contexts but can be adapted to formal situations when discussing unexpected good fortune. Be mindful of the tones, as mispronouncing them can lead to misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

While 凑巧 is not explicitly part of the HSK vocabulary list, it contains components that might appear in other HSK words. Focus on understanding the radicals 凑 and 巧, as they may help in recognizing other related terms about coincidence and cleverness.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes misuse 凑巧 by pairing it incorrectly with verbs that imply intention, such as 'decide' or 'plan.' For example, saying '我决定去那里,凑巧我看到了他' (I decided to go there, by chance I saw him) is incorrect; instead, use '我去那里时,恰好看到了他' (As luck would have it, I saw him when I went there).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 凑巧

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Component Characters

凑còuto gather together, pool or collect
HSK 711 strokes冫
View full entry
巧qiǎoopportunely
HSK 45 strokes工
View full entry

How to say fortuitously in Chinese

“fortuitously” in Chinese is凑巧còuqiǎo

The term 凑巧 (còu qiǎo) means 'by chance' or 'fortuitously.' It is used to describe situations where events occur unexpectedly or coincidentally, often with a positive outcome. This phrase is commonly used in everyday conversation to highlight serendipitous moments.

When to use 凑巧

Learners often confuse 凑巧 with similar phrases like 恰好 (qià hǎo), which also means 'just right' but lacks the element of chance. It's used in informal contexts but can be adapted to formal situations when discussing unexpected good fortune. Be mindful of the tones, as mispronouncing them can lead to misunderstandings.

凑巧 or something close to it

巧合 (qiǎohé) — use 凑巧 when emphasizing a chance occurrence, while 巧合 focuses more on coincidence itself.

What learners get wrong

Learners sometimes misuse 凑巧 by pairing it incorrectly with verbs that imply intention, such as 'decide' or 'plan.' For example, saying '我决定去那里,凑巧我看到了他' (I decided to go there, by chance I saw him) is incorrect; instead, use '我去那里时,恰好看到了他' (As luck would have it, I saw him when I went there).

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凑
巧

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Frequently Asked Questions about 凑巧

Yes, while it is more common in conversational contexts, 凑巧 can be used in formal writing to describe serendipitous occurrences.

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