たまたま

た

ま

た

ま

Common wordJLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

adverb

by chance; accidentally; happen to

usually written using kana alone

Describes an unintended or coincidental event. Often used when something occurs without planning or expectation.

駅えきでたまたま高こう校こうの友とも達だちに会あった。
I happened to run into a high school friend at the station.
たまたま通とおりかかったら、事じ故こを見みてしまった。
I happened to be passing by and saw the accident.

adverb

occasionally; once in a while

usually written using kana alone

Indicates an infrequent but recurring event. Similar to たまに, but たまたま can also carry a nuance of chance occurrence.

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉とたまたま会あうto happen to meet someone
駅えきで昔むかしの同どう級きゅう生せいとたまたま会あった。
I happened to run into an old classmate at the station.
たまたま〈動どう詞し〉ことがあるit occasionally happens that...
忙いそがしくて、たまたま昼ちゅう食しょくを忘わすれることがある。
When I'm busy, I occasionally forget to eat lunch.
たまたま〈場ば所しょ〉にいるto happen to be at a certain place
たまたまその場ばにいたので、事じ件けんを目もく撃げきした。
I happened to be there, so I witnessed the incident.
たまたま〈事こと〉を耳みみにするto happen to hear about something
たまたまその話はなしを耳みみにした。
I happened to hear about that by chance.

Kanji

偶accidentally, even number, couple
適suitable, occasional, rare

Related words

たまにN4sense 2
たまに describes something happening infrequently but regularly, while たまたま stresses that an event happened purely by chance.
偶ぐう然ぜんN3sense 1
偶然 is a more formal noun/adverbial word for coincidence, while たまたま is the everyday adverb used in casual speech.
太ふと sense 1
ふと describes a sudden, unplanned thought or action (like ふと気づく), whereas たまたま describes an external event occurring by chance.

Don't confuse with

偶たまN3
偶 (たま) means 'occasional, rare', while 偶々 (たまたま) shares the same kanji but means 'by chance, coincidentally'—a distinct word and meaning.

Written forms

たまたまUsage99%
Standard kana spelling; the word is usually written in kana.
偶たま々たまUsage1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji form; learners should use the kana spelling.
タマタマUsage<1%
偶たまたま
rarely-used kanji form
Rare single-character kanji form; not recommended for learners.
偶たま偶たま
rarely-used kanji form
適たまたま
rarely-used kanji form

Etymology

The word is a reduplication of たま (偶), meaning 'rare' or 'occasional'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the reduplicated form emphasizes chance or infrequency.