From a comparative linguistic perspective， the verb “encounter” does not govern a direct object in many languages. Its philological characteristics lie in the dual semantics of “accidentality without predetermination” and “parallel correspondence between internal and external realms”， thus embodying ample space for textual application and philosophical interpretation. Examining the

status of “yù”遇 as a word and a concept in Zhuangzi’s philosophy separately， we can take it as a key to extract the conceptual chain connecting “yóu” （wandering游）， “shí” （time时）， “mìng” （fate命）， and “dé” （virtue德） in the inner chapters of

Zhuangzi

. A close reading of the elaborately constructed scenes of “unintentional encounter” in various fables of

Zhuangzi

further illustrates the close connections and complete logical presentation path between “yù” and “yóu” （wandering without dependence）， its appropriate alignment with “shí” and “mìng”， and its receptive response to “dé” with an empty mind. This enables a better understanding of the inherent unity of Zhuangzi’s views on freedom， theory of time and fate， and doctrine of attaining Dao. Dissecting the basic semantics of core terms and demonstrating their evolutionary logic from words to concepts in combination with the text provides an effective approach for re-examining the ideas in poetic philosophical texts represented by

Zhuangzi

.