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
Without (无) connection (缘) and without (无) cause (故). 缘 is the Buddhist term for the conditions that link one thing to another, and the double negation removes both the relationship and the reason, leaving an event with no attachment to anything that preceded it. That is what gives the phrase its force. Unprovoked hostility above all — 无缘无故地发火, to lose your temper out of nothing — with the implication that the speaker has looked for a cause and found none.
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
缘木求鱼
yuán mù qiú yú
Using completely wrong method for a task
Learn more →
故步自封
gù bù zì fēng
Refuse to move beyond past methods
Learn more →
故土难离
gù tǔ nán lí
Hard to leave one's homeland
Learn more →
温故知新
wēn gù zhī xīn
Learn new through studying old
Learn more →
倾盖如故
qīng gài rú gù
Instant friendship
Learn more →
明知故犯
míng zhī gù fàn
Knowingly commit a violation
Learn more →
欲擒故纵
yù qín gù zòng
Give slack before tightening; let go to catch
Learn more →
一见如故
yī jiàn rú gù
Instant connection
Learn more →
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”.