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推算 (tuī suàn) — to calculate by inference; to extrapolate

Definition

推算 is to calculate or extrapolate from known data to work out something unknown (e.g. a future trend or trajectory). It's more deductive than 估计 ('estimate, guess') and more inference-driven than 推断 ('infer, deduce').

verb
to calculate by inferenceto extrapolate

Examples

  • 推算。
    Kē xué jiā men yòng zhè zǔ shù jù tuī suàn chū wèi lái de qū shì.
    Scientists extrapolated future trends from this set of data.
  • ，推算。
    Gēn jù lì shǐ jì lù, kě yǐ tuī suàn chū xià yí cì hóng shuǐ de shí jiān.
    Based on historical records, we can calculate the timing of the next flood.
  • 推算。
    Zhè ge shù xué gōng shì yòng yú tuī suàn wù tǐ yùn dòng de guǐ jì.
    This mathematical formula is used to calculate the trajectory of moving objects.

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tuīto infer
算suànto calculate

Both 推 and 算 carry calculation or inference, so the word means to calculate by reasoning.

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 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The current form 算 has 竹 on top, 目 in the middle, and 廾 below; the 目 part may have originally drawn counting rods, often made of bamboo.

Open 算 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9MathThinking & Cognition

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