suiyuan: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal/Neutral
Quick answer
What does “suiyuan” mean?
The occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.
The faculty or phenomenon of making fortunate and unexpected discoveries by accident. Also, an instance of this.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. The word is equally used in intellectual and literary contexts in both regions.
Connotations
Positive, often associated with pleasant surprise, scientific discovery, literary inspiration, or romantic meetings.
Frequency
Moderately low frequency; more common in written English (literature, journalism, academia) than in everyday casual speech.
Grammar
How to Use “suiyuan” in a Sentence
It was serendipity that + clause (e.g., It was serendipity that we met).The discovery was a result of serendipity.N + of serendipity (e.g., a piece of serendipity).Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “suiyuan” in a Sentence
noun
British English
- The research breakthrough was a delightful piece of serendipity.
- They attributed their meeting to sheer serendipity.
American English
- Finding that vintage record in the attic was total serendipity.
- The startup's success had a lot to do with serendipity.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
The product's success was not just strategy; there was an element of serendipity in identifying the market gap.
Academic
Penicillin's discovery is a classic case of scientific serendipity.
Everyday
Running into my old friend at the airport was pure serendipity.
Technical
The research protocol allowed for serendipitous findings outside the primary hypothesis.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “suiyuan”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “suiyuan”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “suiyuan”
- Using it to describe any lucky event (it must be an unexpected *discovery* or positive outcome from a chance event).
- Pronouncing it as /ser-en-DIP-i-ty/ (primary stress is on the third syllable: -DIP-).
- Misspelling as 'serendipidy' or 'serendipity'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. Luck can be good or bad and is passive. Serendipity is specifically a *happy* accident that leads to a valuable discovery, often involving an element of sagacity (wise perception).
You cannot plan the accident, but you can cultivate an environment (e.g., interdisciplinary labs, networking events) and a mindset (openness, observation) that increases the probability of making serendipitous discoveries.
It was coined in 1754 by Horace Walpole, based on the Persian fairy tale 'The Three Princes of Serendip' (Serendip being an old name for Sri Lanka), whose heroes were always making discoveries by chance.
The adjective form is 'serendipitous' (e.g., a serendipitous encounter, a serendipitous finding).
The occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.
Suiyuan is usually formal/neutral in register.
Suiyuan: in British English it is pronounced /ˌser.ənˈdɪp.ə.ti/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌser.ənˈdɪp.ə.t̬i/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A serendipitous discovery”
- “A happy accident”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
SEREN-DIP-ITY: Imagine a serene (calm) scene where you DIP your net into a pond and pull out a treasure by chance (ITY).
Conceptual Metaphor
LIFE IS A JOURNEY WITH HIDDEN TREASURES. Serendipity is finding a valuable map or a beautiful vista on an unplanned detour.
Practice
Quiz
Which scenario BEST illustrates 'serendipity'?