推測

• Reading: すいそく
• Romaji: suisoku
• Kanji breakdown: 推 (sui) — infer, push; 測 (soku) — measure, estimate
• Pronunciation: /sɯ.i.so.kɯ/

Meaning

Guess; conjecture; speculation. An inference based on limited evidence.

A noun and suru-verb meaning to guess or conjecture based on available information. Slightly more formal than 予想 (prediction) and implies reasoning from incomplete data. Often used in academic, investigative, and analytical contexts. The related verb form 推測する means to speculate or conjecture.

Examples

1. 原因はまだ不明だが、専門家はいくつかの推測を立てている。 The cause is still unknown, but experts are putting forward several theories.
2. 彼の行動から推測すると、何か隠しているようだ。 Judging from his behavior, it seems like he's hiding something.
3. あくまで推測にすぎないが、来月には解決するだろう。 This is purely speculation, but it'll probably be resolved next month.

Usage Guide

Context: analysis, investigation, academia, news

Tone: analytical

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese 推測. 推 (sui) means to infer or push forward, and 測 (soku) means to measure or estimate. Together they express the act of inferring or estimating something not directly known.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Educated