Usage of 猜测
The verb 猜测 (cāicè) means "to guess" or "to speculate" based on incomplete information. It is often used when someone tries to infer or estimate something without full certainty.
Common contexts
- Making an educated guess about intentions, thoughts, or causes.
- Expressing uncertainty or hypothesis in conversations or scientific discussions.
Collocations and patterns
- 猜测 + 目的/意图 (guess the purpose/intention)
- 猜测 + 原因/成因 (speculate the cause)
- 不要随便猜测 (don’t guess casually)
Nuances
Using 猜测 implies that the speaker does not have definite proof and is relying on inference. It is more formal than just 猜 and often appears in written or formal spoken Chinese. Avoid confusing 猜测 with 确定 (to confirm), as 猜测 always carries uncertainty.