# 不谋而合

bù móu ér hé

Reach the same view without prior consultation

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Agree without planning together

**Traditional Chinese:** 不謀而合

**Register:** General · spoken & written

[People & connection](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/relationships)

## When to use it

Describe independently matching ideas or decisions.

It does not establish that the shared view is correct.

## The image & its use

Two people may think separately about a room arrangement and both choose to place the reading table near the window. This expression describes that agreement without prior discussion. It is useful when comparing ideas, plans, or preferences that happen to align. The surprise lies in the independent paths leading to the same result. Agreement can make cooperation easier, but the choice still deserves checking against practical needs. Several people can independently make the same mistaken assumption as well as the same useful observation.

## Examples

我们对书架的位置不谋而合。

### Traditional Chinese

我們對書架的位置不謀而合。

wǒ men duì shū jià de wèi zhì bù móu ér hé 。

We independently agreed on the bookshelf's position.

两份设计在用色上不谋而合。

### Traditional Chinese

兩份設計在用色上不謀而合。

liǎng fèn shè jì zài yòng sè shàng bù móu ér hé 。

The two designs independently arrived at the same color choices.

她的想法与我的建议不谋而合。

### Traditional Chinese

她的想法與我的建議不謀而合。

tā de xiǎng fǎ yǔ wǒ de jiàn yì bù móu ér hé 。

Her idea matches my suggestion without our having discussed it.

大家的计划不谋而合，便很快确定了方向。

### Traditional Chinese

大家的計劃不謀而合，便很快確定了方向。

dà jiā de jì huà bù móu ér hé ， biàn hěn kuài què dìng le fāng xiàng 。

The independently matching plans helped everyone settle on a direction quickly.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 7, 2026.

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=1494&webMd=1&la=0)

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E4%B8%8D%E8%AC%80%E8%80%8C%E5%90%88)

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- [不约而同 bù yuē ér tóng Do the same thing without arranging it ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/bu-yue-er-tong)

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