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假想 (jiǎ xiǎng) — to hypothesize, to conceive theoretically; to suppose, to assume for the sake of argument

Definition

A formal verb meaning 'to hypothesize' or 'to suppose for the sake of argument' — used in scientific and theoretical contexts, stronger than 想象 (which means 'to imagine').

verb
to hypothesizeto conceive theoreticallyto suppose, to assume for the sake of argument

Examples

  • 假想。
    Kē xué jiā jiǎ xiǎng le yì zhǒng xīn lǐ lùn.
    The scientist hypothesized a new theory.
  • ，假想。
    Zài shí yàn qián, wǒ men xū yào jiǎ xiǎng gè zhǒng kě néng xìng.
    Before the experiment, we need to suppose various possibilities.
  • 假想，？
    jiǎ xiǎng Nǐ shì lǎo bǎn, nǐ huì zěn me zuò?
    Suppose you are the boss, what would you do?

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

假jiǎfictional
想xiǎngthink

“假” means fictional or false, and “想” means think, giving the sense of imagining something hypothetical.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
叚
叚jiǎ假jiǎ
Same sound today

假 pairs 亻 (person) with 叚, which gives the sound jiǎ.

Open 假 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīnheart, mind
Sound part声符shēngfú
相
相xiāng想xiǎng
Same sound today

想 has 心 (heart, mind) below 相 (to look at); the shape shows the mind looking at or considering something, and 相 also gives the sound.

Open 想 →
Appears in
Thinking & Cognition

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