估摸 (gū mo) — to guess, to reckon, to figure (approximately)

Definition

A colloquial 'to guess / to reckon' — roughly estimate something without exact information. Tone is informal and conversational, softer than 判断.

verb
to guessto reckonto figure (approximately)

Examples

  • 估摸。
    Wǒ gū mo zhe míng tiān huì xià yǔ.
    I figure it will rain tomorrow.
  • 估摸？
    Nǐ gū mo tā néng lái ma?
    Do you think he can come?
  • 估摸。
    Wǒ gū mo tā jīn nián èr shí suì.
    I guess he is twenty years old this year.

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.

估gūestimate
摸mōfeel out

估 means estimate and 摸 means feel out, together giving a guess.

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rén
Sound part声符shēngfú
古
古gǔ估gū
Same sound today

The left part 亻 is a person; the right part 古 gives 估 its sound.

Open 估 →

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
莫
莫mò摸mō
Same sound today

摸 pairs 手 (hand) with 莫; 手 shows the meaning is about a hand action, and 莫 gives the sound.

Open 摸 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.