Translation guide
A sudden, unexpected piece of good fortune. In Japanese, this is often expressed with nouns like 幸運 or 僥倖, or with phrases describing a lucky break or chance happening.
Describing a single lucky incident or result that happened by chance.
Emphasizing the fortuitous timing or opportunity that led to a good outcome.
A simple, natural way to say 'I was lucky' or 'it was a stroke of luck'. Very common in conversation.
運が良かっただけだよ。
It was just a stroke of luck.
When two unrelated events align in a lucky way.
Describes a miraculous stroke of luck, something almost unbelievable.
彼が助かったのは奇跡的な幸運だ。
It was a stroke of luck that he survived.
幸運 is the everyday word for good luck. 僥倖 is more formal and often implies the luck was undeserved or a fluke. Use 幸運 in most situations.
幸運にも雨が止んだ。
By a stroke of luck, the rain stopped.
彼の勝利は僥倖だった。
His victory was a stroke of luck.
The English phrase 'stroke of luck' doesn't have a single direct equivalent. Translating it word-for-word as 運の一撃 would be unnatural. Use the expressions above depending on context.
The most common and neutral word for 'good luck' or 'fortune'. Can refer to a stroke of luck as an event.
それは本当に幸運だった。
That was a real stroke of luck.
彼の成功は単なる幸運ではない。
His success is not just a stroke of luck.
A more literary or formal term for an unexpected stroke of luck, often implying it was undeserved or a fluke.
それは僥倖に過ぎない。
It was nothing more than a stroke of luck.
An idiomatic phrase meaning 'a lucky break' or 'unexpected windfall', literally 'a botamochi (sweet) falling from a shelf'. Used for sudden, unearned good fortune.
宝くじが当たるなんて、棚からぼたもちだ。
Winning the lottery is a real stroke of luck.
A casual word for a fluke or chance success, often used when something good happens by pure luck, especially in games or competitions.
あのゴールはまぐれだ。
That goal was a stroke of luck.
By a stroke of luck, I caught the train.
Literally 'accidental good fortune', emphasizing the chance nature of the luck.
それは偶然の幸運だった。
It was a stroke of luck.
A very casual, spoken expression meaning 'I'm on a lucky streak' or 'things are going my way'. Often used when experiencing a stroke of luck.
今日はついてる！
What a stroke of luck today!
Literally 'coincidence', but can be used to describe a lucky coincidence that feels like a stroke of luck.
あの出会いは偶然の一致だった。
That meeting was a stroke of luck.