测 (cè) — to measure; to survey; to infer; to conjecture
Definition
测 (cè) is the base verb 'to measure' and 'to infer,' appearing chiefly as a bound morpheme. Contrast with 推测 ('to infer, speculate,' reasoning-based) and 测量 ('to measure dimensions/quantities,' the concrete surveying sense).
verb
to measureto surveyto inferto conjecture
Examples
- 测。Qǐng cè yí xià zhè ge fáng jiān de wēn dù.Please measure the temperature of this room.
- ？Nǐ néng tuī cè chū tā wèi shén me shēng qì ma?Can you infer why he is angry?
- 。Kē xué jiā yòng gōng jù cè jù lí.Scientists measure distance with tools.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost 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.
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.
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