揣度 (chuǎi duó) — to estimate; to conjecture; to guess (often someone's thoughts or intentions)

Definition

Written/formal verb meaning 'to conjecture, to guess at' — especially someone's thoughts or motives. Often used with 心思 or 用意.

verb
to estimateto conjectureto guess (often someone's thoughts or intentions)

Examples

  • 揣度。
    Tā yì zhí zài chuǎi duó duì fāng de xīn si.
    He has been trying to guess the other person's thoughts.
  • 揣度，。
    Wǒ chuǎi duó guò jǐ cì, dàn dōu méi cāi duì.
    I guessed a few times, but I was wrong every time.
  • 揣度。
    Zhè jiàn shì de jié guǒ hěn nán chuǎi duó.
    The outcome of this matter is hard to conjecture.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

揣chuāiestimate
度dùconjecture

Both 揣 and 度 mean to estimate or conjecture, so together they emphasize guessing thoughts.

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
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
耑
耑zhuān揣chuǎi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

揣 combines 手, a hand, with 耑, which gives the sound.

Open 揣 →

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
又又yòuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
石
石shí度dù
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

度 has 又 (hand) and a changed form of 石; 石 gives a related sound, and the hand is tied to using the hand as a reference for measurement.

Open 度 →

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