不约而同
不约而同 (bù yuē ér tóng) literally means “not arrange yet same” and expresses “arrive at same point without coordination”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving strategy and action.
Also searched as: bu yue er tong, bu yue er tong,不约而同 meaning, 不约而同 in english
Arrive at same point without coordination
Pronunciation: bù yuē ér tóng Literal meaning: Not arrange yet same
Origin & Usage
Without (不) having arranged it (约) yet (而) alike (同). The phrase describes convergence without communication — several people reaching the same conclusion or taking the same action independently — and Chinese finds this interesting rather than merely coincidental. Crowds arriving at the same moment, witnesses giving the same account, colleagues who all quietly stopped attending the same meeting.
Examples
English: "Without any coordination, three research teams independently reached identical conclusions"
Chinese: 没有任何协调，三个研究团队独立得出了相同的结论
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about strategy & action
文不加点
wén bù jiā diǎn
Perfect execution without revision
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层出不穷
céng chū bù qióng
Continuously emerging in endless succession
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滔滔不绝
tāo tāo bù jué
Talk endlessly; speak at great length
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争论不休
zhēng lùn bù xiū
Argue endlessly without resolution
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众所周知
zhòng suǒ zhōu zhī
As everyone knows or is widely recognized
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讳莫如深
huì mò rú shēn
Maintain absolute silence about sensitive matter
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来龙去脉
lái lóng qù mài
The whole story; causes and effects
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别出心裁
bié chū xīn cái
Showing originality; unconventional
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 不约而同 mean in English?
不约而同 (bù yuē ér tóng) literally translates to “Not arrange yet same” and is used to express “Arrive at same point without coordination”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Strategy & Action category.
When is 不约而同 used?
Situation: Without any coordination, three research teams independently reached identical conclusions
What is the pinyin for 不约而同?
The pinyin pronunciation for 不约而同 is “bù yuē ér tóng”.