不約而同
简 不约而同 · 繁 不約而同Meanings
- (idiom) (of two or more people) to take the same action without prior consultation; (usu. used adverbially) all (or both) of them, independently; as if by prior agreement
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Mandarin tones
4–1–2–2 · bu4 yue1 er2 tong2
Compare attested words with these syllables ↗Dictionary tones. Connected speech can change their realization.
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Read this spelling in Classical texts
Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.
不約而同 · find source passages ↗ · 不约而同 · find source passages ↗
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Rime Cantonese 粵拼
bat1 joek3 ji4 tung4
Cantonese word readings for 不約而同. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.
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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section
Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.
phrase
- (idiomatic) to happen to coincide; to take the same view or action without previous consultation
- (neologism, slang, humorous) to become gay or lesbian after a long period without dating
Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history
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