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# Question

I wonder what would be the _better way_ to represent the idea of **" meeting
someone unplanned / by chance"**.

Or is it just a matter of one's preference?

I want the sentence to be _**least ambiguous but most accurate in one single
sentence, and if possible, regardless of context.**_

* * *

# Explanation

> The following sentences should all mean _" I met him at the street (by
> chance)"_

If I say 街で彼に出会った。 It got a romantic colour that it seems love is about to
happen.

I personally belief the most _**neutral**_ way would be 偶然・たまたま街で彼と会った。

But one could also say 街で彼と遇った・逢った・遭った。The first one feels like if I've met an
event instead of a person. The second one feels like some sort of destiny is
behind all this。 The third one feels like if I hate the person I've met.

Or is 街で彼に会った good enough？

I wonder what is the best.

Please provide your answer with explanation / evidence. m( )m

Thank you for your help!

* * *

Added:

> If you are Japanese, which is the most common way and how would you say it?
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word-choice nuances definitions
What is the better 表現 of meeting someone unplanned / by chance?
> the better way to represent the idea of "meeting someone unplanned / by
> chance".
>

>> 偶然・たまたま街で彼と会った。

This Japanese sentence of yours is perfect. Both 偶然, たまたま works fine.  
I think, as a native speaker, 偶然 is the safest for any occasion. If you want a
relaxed feeling to your words, たまたま might be better. Both are commonly used in
talks regardless of casual or formal nature.

> Or is 街で彼に会った good enough？

It could sound like planned. If it's 街で彼に行き会った, this means unplanned. We often
add expressions like 偶然 or たまたま to this too, though it seems to be actually
repeating the same thing.

> 遇った・逢った・遭った。

遇った is not commonly used, though it seems this is the most accurate one for
what you are looking. 逢った has a nuance of planned, and is also usually seen
only on printed literature, avoid it for business letters. 遭った is for events
not for people.

> If I say 街で彼に出会った。 It got a romantic colour that it seems love is about to
> happen.

It is not necessarily romantic encounter, but 出会う means you come to know
someone or something; ex. 彼は若い頃に天職{てんしょく}に出会った.
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There are a couple of ways to express this.

鉢合{はちあ}わせする means exactly what you're asking for: a chance meeting (lit. the
bumping of heads). Note this is often used in the negative sense.

On that same note, 出会ってしまう・会ってしまう expresses a negative connotation (not
wanting to meet).

You are correct in your use of 偶然・たまたま（出）会う. There is also ばったり（出）会う, which is
also very common in everyday conversation.

There is also 遭遇{そうぐう}する (encounter), but sounds a bit wordy, something I'd
expect to hear from a military or news report. (edit: it also tends to be used
in the bad sense, like "encountering the enemy" or "running into a bear".)
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