偶尔 和 偶然
occasionally (how often) vs by chance (how it happened)
Structure
偶尔 动词 （不经常） ‖ 偶然 发生 （没想到，碰巧）
What it means
偶尔 is about how often: “occasionally”, the opposite of 经常. 偶然 is about how something came about: “by chance”, the opposite of 必然.
How it is built
偶尔 + verb: 奶奶只是过年时偶尔玩几把 (Grandma just has the odd game at New Year). 偶然 + verb, or as an adjective: 我是在旅行中偶然认识她的; 偶然的机会.
When to use it
偶尔 almost always sits before a verb. 偶然 works freely as an adjective: 偶然的机会, 这不是偶然的 (this is no accident).
Watch out
Don’t mix them: ✗ 这不是偶尔的 ✓ 这不是偶然的; ✗ 我偶然去看电影 ✓ 我偶尔去看电影.
Examples
奶奶平时不打牌，只是过年时偶尔玩几把。
Grandma does not usually play; she just has the odd game at New Year.
我是在一次旅行中偶然认识她的。
I met her by chance on a trip.
他的成功不是偶然的。
His success was no accident.
Learn this in Lesson 39 · HSK 5–6: 麻将桌上 (Mahjong)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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