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推测 (tuī cè) — to infer, to conjecture, to speculate

Definition

推测 means to infer or speculate based on evidence — stronger and more evidence-based than 猜测 (a looser 'guess'). Compare 推断, which is more formal/deductive.

verb
to inferto conjectureto speculate

Examples

  • ，推测。
    Gēn jù zhè xiē xiàn suǒ, wǒ men kě yǐ tuī cè chū zhēn xiàng.
    Based on these clues, we can infer the truth.
  • 推测。
    Kē xué jiā tuī cè zhè ge xīng qiú shàng kě néng cún zài shuǐ.
    Scientists speculate that water may exist on this planet.
  • 推测。
    Bú yào suí biàn tuī cè bié rén de xiǎng fǎ.
    Don't casually conjecture about other people's thoughts.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

推tuīinfer
测cèguess

推 means to infer, 测 means to measure or guess; together they mean to conjecture.

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
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
隹
隹zhuī推tuī
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left side 扌 is a hand, and the right side 隹 gives the sound; the character shows pushing with the hand.

Open 推 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 測; 测 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
則
則zé測cè
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 測 combines 氵 (water) with 則 for the sound; it is explained as measuring the depth of water. The simplified 测 is a later shorthand.

Open 测 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6HSK 2.0 Level 6Thinking & Cognition5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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