无缘无故
无缘无故 (wú yuán wú gù) literally means “no connection no reason” and expresses “completely without reason or provocation”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: wu yuan wu gu, wu yuan wu gu,无缘无故 meaning, 无缘无故 in english
Completely without reason or provocation
Pronunciation: wú yuán wú gù Literal meaning: No connection no reason
Origin & Usage
Buddhist concepts of karmic relationships introduced this phrase describing actions having neither connection (无缘) nor cause (无故). Tang Dynasty writers brought it beyond religious contexts into everyday use. Song Dynasty legal documents adopted it to describe actions lacking apparent motivation. The double negation - eliminating both relationship and rational bases - creates a comprehensive sense of groundlessness that remains useful in modern legal and interpersonal contexts.
Examples
English: "He was puzzled when the stranger suddenly approached him with accusations"
Chinese: 当陌生人突然带着指责接近他时，他感到困惑
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
融会贯通
róng huì guàn tōng
Master something completely
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一波三折
yī bō sān zhé
Many twists and turns
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改邪归正
gǎi xié guī zhèng
Return to righteousness
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好逸恶劳
hào yì wù láo
Love ease, hate work
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物极必反
wù jí bì fǎn
Extremes lead to reversal
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塞翁失马
sài wēng shī mǎ
Misfortune might be a blessing
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近水楼台
jìn shuǐ lóu tái
Advantage from close connections
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夜郎自大
yè láng zì dà
Overestimate oneself
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 无缘无故 mean in English?
无缘无故 (wú yuán wú gù) literally translates to “No connection no reason” and is used to express “Completely without reason or provocation”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 无缘无故 used?
Situation: He was puzzled when the stranger suddenly approached him with accusations
What is the pinyin for 无缘无故?
The pinyin pronunciation for 无缘无故 is “wú yuán wú gù”.