‘偶遇’ literally combines 偶 (ǒu), meaning 'occasional' or 'by chance', and 遇 (yù), meaning 'to meet' or 'to encounter'. Together, they form a verb describing an unplanned, spontaneous meeting—often with someone you know or recognize, but not by prior arrangement. It emphasizes the serendipitous nature of the encounter, not just physical proximity.

This word is commonly used in storytelling, personal anecdotes, and casual conversation to evoke warmth, surprise, or nostalgia—like running into an old classmate at a café or spotting a favorite author at a bookstore. While it can describe meetings between people, it’s occasionally extended metaphorically (e.g., ‘偶遇一本好书’—‘happening upon a great book’). It carries a slightly literary or refined tone compared to simpler alternatives like ‘碰到’ or ‘遇见’, making it frequent in writing and thoughtful speech.