推定

• Reading: すいてい
• Romaji: suitei
• Kanji breakdown: 推 (sui) — infer, push; 定 (tei) — fix, determine
• Pronunciation: /sɯ.i.teː/

Meaning

Presumption; assumption; estimation. A conclusion drawn from available evidence.

A noun and suru-verb meaning to presume or estimate based on evidence. More authoritative than 推測 (conjecture), often implying a reasoned or official conclusion. Frequently used in legal, scientific, and news contexts. 推定年齢 (estimated age) and 推定無罪 (presumption of innocence) are common compounds.

Examples

1. この化石は推定で約三千万年前のものだ。 This fossil is estimated to be about thirty million years old.
2. 被告人は推定無罪の原則で守られている。 The defendant is protected by the principle of presumption of innocence.
3. 被害額は推定で五億円に上るとされている。 The damage is estimated to amount to five hundred million yen.

Usage Guide

Context: legal, science, news, statistics

Tone: authoritative

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese 推定. 推 (sui) means to infer or push forward, and 定 (tei) means to fix or determine. Together they express determining something through inference.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Educated