Japanese with Manga

A not so chance encounter with 奇遇

Kanji Explanation: Strangeness and wonder with 奇

Manga panel from それでも歩は寄せてくる showing example of A not so chance encounter with 奇遇.
それでも歩は寄せてくる » Volume 1 » Page 33

On her way home from grocery shopping, Urushi sees Ayumu from shogi club at school.

うるし:
「なんだお前(まえ)か　奇遇(きぐう)だな」
“Oh, it's you. What a coincidence.”
Literal: “What, it's you. It's a coincidence, huh.”
歩(あゆむ):
「いえ　奇遇(きぐう)じゃないです」
“No, it's not a coincidence.”
Literal: “No, it is not a coincidence.”

Key Points

1奇遇(きぐう) = “coincidence” in a chance meeting
  • 奇遇(きぐう) means an unexpected meeting or event that feels surprising, so Urushi uses it when she runs into Ayumu outside school.
  • The kanji 奇(き) carries the sense of “strange” or “unexpected”, and 遇(ぐう) points to an encounter.
2なんだお前(まえ)か
  • なんだ marks mild surprise on recognition, like “Oh, so it’s you.”
  • お前(まえ) is casual and blunt, fitting Urushi’s familiar tone with Ayumu.
3奇遇(きぐう)だな
  • The だ makes the noun 奇遇(きぐう) into a complete statement: “It’s a coincidence.”
  • The ending な adds a casual, self-directed feel, as if she is commenting on the situation.
4奇遇(きぐう)じゃないです
  • Ayumu directly negates her word with じゃないです, the polite negative of だ.
それでも歩は寄せてくる © its respective creators. It is used here for educational commentary.