无独有偶

Pronunciation: wú dú yǒu ǒu Literal meaning: Not alone but in pairs

Origin & Usage

The idiom 无独有偶 (wú dú yǒu ǒu) is commonly used in classical Chinese to describe situations where two seemingly rare or unique events or individuals are surprisingly similar or occur together. The phrase suggests that while something may appear to be singular or exceptional, it is not alone and has a counterpart. The characters '无' (wú) mean 'not,' '独' (dú) means 'single,' '有' (yǒu) means 'have,' and '偶' (ǒu) means 'pair.' This idiom is often used with a slightly negative connotation, implying that the similarity or pairing is unexpected or even unwelcome. In modern usage, it highlights the occurrence of coincidental or parallel events, reminding us that rare occurrences may not be as unique as they seem.

Examples

English: "Many people share similar experiences, proving that we are not alone in our struggles."

Chinese: 在这个问题上，无独有偶，很多人都有相似的经历。