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

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.

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)