coincidence

coincidence — 名詞

1. an unexpected situation in which two or more unconnected events occur at the sam

1.名詞B2
釋義

巧合

多件無關事件同時發生的情況

an unexpected situation in which two or more unconnected events occur at the same moment, making it seem as though they are related.

例句

By pure coincidence, Aiko and her brother chose the same birthday card for their mother.

純屬巧合，Aiko 和她哥哥為母親挑了同一張生日卡片。

collocation: pure coincidence

It was a strange coincidence that the power went out just as Diego began speaking.

就在 Diego 要開始演講時停電了，真是個奇怪的巧合。

coincidence + that-clause

同義詞
  • fluke

    more informal; suggests a lucky accident rather than any connection

  • accident

    broader; refers to anything happening without intention, not necessarily simultaneous

  • happenstance

    formal or literary; emphasises the role of chance

反義詞
  • intention

    a planned, deliberate outcome rather than a chance event

  • design

    something carefully arranged, not left to chance

文法句型

coincidence + that-clause

用法筆記

Often used with 'pure', 'sheer', or 'strange' to emphasise the surprising nature of the event. A that-clause frequently follows the noun (e.g., 'It was a coincidence that...').

常見錯誤

❌It was an irony that we wore the same shirt.
✅It was a coincidence that we wore the same shirt.
💡Coincidence is about unconnected events occurring together; irony is about an outcome that is the opposite of what one expects.

2. the way in which events happen without any plan or deliberate cause, driven simp

2.名詞B2
釋義

偶然

偶然發生，非刻意安排

the way in which events happen without any plan or deliberate cause, driven simply by luck or chance.

例句

Leila met her cousin in Rome entirely by coincidence.

Leila 完全出於偶然在羅馬遇見了她的表妹。

collocation: by coincidence

It is no coincidence that children who read a lot also tend to write well.

愛讀書的小孩寫作能力也往往比較好，這絕非偶然。

pattern: it is no coincidence that…

同義詞
  • chance

    broader and more neutral; the general idea of unplanned events

  • luck

    adds a positive or negative flavour depending on context

  • fate

    suggests a predetermined outcome, which is the opposite of randomness

反義詞
  • design

    deliberate planning rather than chance

  • intention

    a conscious purpose behind an event

文法句型

coincidence + that-clause

用法筆記

Primarily appears in the fixed phrase 'by coincidence' or the expression 'it is no coincidence that + clause'. This sense is uncountable — do not precede it with 'a' or 'an'.

常見錯誤

❌They met by a coincidence.
✅They met by coincidence.
💡When 'coincidence' means chance or luck, it is uncountable and takes no article.

3. the condition in which several ideas, accounts, or positions match one another e

3.名詞C1
釋義

一致

意見、報告等彼此相符

the condition in which several ideas, accounts, or positions match one another exactly, suggesting that they are in agreement.

例句

There is a striking coincidence of opinion among the experts on this question.

專家們在這個問題上的意見驚人地一致。

collocation: coincidence of opinion

A coincidence of interests led the Huang and Chen families to launch a joint business.

由於興趣一致，黃家和陳家共同創辦了一家公司。

collocation: coincidence of interests

同義詞
  • correspondence

    more neutral; suggests two things matching point by point

  • agreement

    broader; can apply to people or data being in harmony

  • concurrence

    formal; emphasises simultaneous agreement

反義詞

文法句型

coincidence of + noun phrase

用法筆記

Formal register; typically used in academic, legal, or analytical writing. The pattern 'coincidence of + noun' (e.g., coincidence of opinion, coincidence of interests) is the most common structure. Avoid using this sense in casual conversation.