<p>You could also call that... serendipitous!</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-10-28T20:26:07.733Z
2013-10-28T20:26:07.733Z
Ian
<p>1.
比喻方法本来不恰当，却侥幸得到满意的结果。</p>

<p>2.
也比喻原意本不在此，却凑巧和别人的想法符合。</p>

<p>1.
do A with a wrong way. But..luckily.. succeeded.</p>

<p>2.
wanto do A, but hasn't start to do it. But luckily made it by do another thing.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-10-23T12:03:26.230Z
2013-10-23T12:03:26.230Z
GongT
<p>I think "Hit by a fluke" conveys that meaning. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-10-17T00:05:21.780Z
2013-10-17T00:05:21.780Z
user3378
<p>"歪打正着" according to its meaning——It means "something done for purpose A but in fact it makes purpose B successful". So can just translate it as：</p>

<p><strong>do something luckily, by chance, by accident</strong></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-10-21T03:42:12.817Z
2013-10-21T03:42:12.817Z
xqMogvKW
<p>You could consider an auspicious kind of <strong><em>irony</em></strong>, as in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irony#Situational_irony" rel="nofollow">situational irony</a>. For example:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>When John Hinckley attempted to assassinate Ronald Reagan, all of his shots initially missed the President; however, a bullet ricocheted off the bullet-proof Presidential limousine and struck Reagan in the chest. Thus, a vehicle made to protect the President from gunfire instead directed gunfire to the president.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Note however that "irony" only requires the intent and outcome to be highly incongruous, and the outcome can be either good or bad.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-10-24T06:40:39.077Z
2013-10-24T06:40:39.077Z
congusbongus
<p>hit the mark by a fluke; score a lucky hit</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-10-19T13:52:58.203Z
2013-10-19T13:52:58.203Z
zyx199199
<p>How do you say "歪打正着“ in English?</p>

<p>I brought a gift to someone's place for appreciation of his help, but he wasn't there. Several days later, I went there with the gift again, and he was there, and that day happened to be his birthday. So the gift happened to be also for his birthday celebration</p>

<p>So in Chinese, it is kind of "歪打正着“. How would you say it in English for such an example?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-10-16T23:24:00.957Z
I would call this situation a "happy accident"
Stumpy Joe Pete
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-10-24T21:53:14.257Z
After seeing this question, I asked [a similar question on ELU.SE](http://english.stackexchange.com/q/132791/39857); hope it helps
congusbongus
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-10-25T03:52:27.520Z
by a stroke of luck
杨以轩
<translation>
How to say "歪打正着“ in English?
# How to say "歪打正着“ in English?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-10-16)

How do you say "歪打正着“ in English?

I brought a gift to someone's place for appreciation of his help, but he wasn't there. Several days later, I went there with the gift again, and he was there, and that day happened to be his birthday. So the gift happened to be also for his birthday celebration

So in Chinese, it is kind of "歪打正着“. How would you say it in English for such an example?

**Tags:** translation

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I would call this situation a "happy accident"  
> **username_2**: After seeing this question, I asked [a similar question on ELU.SE](http://english.stackexchange.com/q/132791/39857); hope it helps  
> **username_3**: by a stroke of luck  

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## 6 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2013-10-28. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

You could also call that... serendipitous!


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### Answer by username_5 on 2013-10-23. Score: 1

1.
比喻方法本来不恰当，却侥幸得到满意的结果。

2.
也比喻原意本不在此，却凑巧和别人的想法符合。

1.
do A with a wrong way. But..luckily.. succeeded.

2.
wanto do A, but hasn't start to do it. But luckily made it by do another thing.


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### Answer by username_6 on 2013-10-17. Score: 1

I think "Hit by a fluke" conveys that meaning.


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### Answer by username_7 on 2013-10-21. Score: 1

"歪打正着" according to its meaning——It means "something done for purpose A but in fact it makes purpose B successful". So can just translate it as：

**do something luckily, by chance, by accident**


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### Answer by username_2 on 2013-10-24. Score: 1

You could consider an auspicious kind of ***irony***, as in [situational irony](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irony#Situational_irony). For example:

> When John Hinckley attempted to assassinate Ronald Reagan, all of his shots initially missed the President; however, a bullet ricocheted off the bullet-proof Presidential limousine and struck Reagan in the chest. Thus, a vehicle made to protect the President from gunfire instead directed gunfire to the president.

Note however that "irony" only requires the intent and outcome to be highly incongruous, and the outcome can be either good or bad.


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### Answer by username_8 on 2013-10-19. Score: 0

hit the mark by a fluke; score a lucky hit


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