偶々(たまたま)

たまたま describes something happening by chance or coincidence, without planning or intention.

WRITING:
Almost always written in hiragana. The kanji 偶々(たまたま) exists but is rarely used.

USAGE:

Very common in everyday conversation. Typically placed before the verb or event that happened by chance.

• たまたま会(あ)った: happened to meet
• たまたま見(み)た: happened to see
• たまたま通(とお)りかかった: happened to pass by

SIMILAR WORDS:

• たまたま: by chance (most natural in speech, emphasizes the randomness)
• 偶然(ぐうぜん): coincidentally (slightly more formal, can be used as a noun: 偶然(ぐうぜん)の一致(いっち) = coincidence)
• 思(おも)いがけず: unexpectedly (emphasizes the surprise element)

NUANCE:
たまたま carries no emotional weight — it simply states that something was unplanned. It can be used for both positive and negative coincidences.