Meaning and Usage
"우연히" is an adverb meaning "by chance" or "accidentally." It is used when something happens without planning or intention, often unexpectedly.
Common Contexts
You will often hear "우연히" in everyday conversations when people talk about unexpected meetings, discoveries, or events that were not planned.
Collocations and Patterns
- 우연히 만나다: to meet by chance
- 우연히 발견하다: to discover by chance
- 우연히 알게 되다: to come to know something accidentally
These phrases emphasize the unplanned nature of the event.
Register and Politeness
"우연히" is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts without changing form.
Learner Tips
Do not confuse "우연히" with "실수로" (by mistake). "우연히" implies no fault or error, just chance, while "실수로" implies an error or mistake. For example, "우연히 만났다" means meeting by chance, but "실수로 만났다" would mean meeting by mistake or accident.