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March 24, 2026
猜cāi(cai1)
The verb 猜 (cāi) means 'to guess' or 'to conjecture.' It is commonly used when making assumptions or predictions based on limited information, such as guessing someone's age or the outcome of a game. This word conveys a sense of uncertainty and is often employed in informal contexts.
Strokes11Radical犭Frequency#514DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, guessing games are popular during festivals and gatherings, such as the Lantern Festival, where participants may guess the contents of riddles written on lanterns. This practice highlights the social aspect of guessing.
Memory Tip
Imagine a detective trying to 'guess' who committed a crime. The character 猜 has the radical for 'dog' (犭) which can symbolize a detective's keen instinct, and the pronunciation 'cāi' sounds like 'sigh' when the detective is uncertain. This vivid imagery helps connect the character to the act of guessing.
Meanings of 猜
cāi(cai1)
1to guess
2to guess, to conjecture, to suppose; to feel
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 猜
猜Simplified
11Strokes
犭Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#514Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L4HSK 3.0L4IntermediateTOCFLL5HSKKL3CEFRB2
Podcast: 猜
Podcast: 猜
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AI Study Notes for 猜
Quick Contrast
推测 (tuīcè) — use 猜 for informal guessing, while 推测 is more formal and analytical.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a detective trying to 'guess' who committed a crime. The character 猜 has the radical for 'dog' (犭) which can symbolize a detective's keen instinct, and the pronunciation 'cāi' sounds like 'sigh' when the detective is uncertain. This vivid imagery helps connect the character to the act of guessing.
Usage Notes
Be mindful of the tone used with 猜, as it is typically informal and may not be suitable for formal situations. A common collocation is 猜谜 (cāi mí), meaning 'to guess riddles.' Learners often confuse it with 知道 (zhīdào, to know), but remember that 猜 implies uncertainty.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 4 word, 猜 connects with other verbs related to thought processes, such as 想 (xiǎng, to think) and 认为 (rènwéi, to believe). Students should focus on its use in questions and scenarios requiring deductions or assumptions.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, guessing games are popular during festivals and gatherings, such as the Lantern Festival, where participants may guess the contents of riddles written on lanterns. This practice highlights the social aspect of guessing.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mistakenly use 猜 in contexts where certainty is implied, such as saying '我猜他会来' (I guess he will come) instead of using a more assertive phrase. The correct phrasing could be '我认为他会来' (I believe he will come).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 猜
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Grammar Patterns of 猜
猜 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
I suspect this book will have the widest appeal of all.
Cultural Notes for 猜
💡Did you know?
In Chinese culture, guessing games are popular during festivals like the Lantern Festival, where people guess riddles written on lanterns. This adds a fun and interactive element to the celebrations.
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, guessing games are popular during festivals and gatherings, such as the Lantern Festival, where participants may guess the contents of riddles written on lanterns. This practice highlights the social aspect of guessing.
Word Family of 猜
Words Containing This Character12
猜cāito guess
猜测cāicèto guess猜測
猜想cāixiǎngto guess
竞猜quiz game競猜
猜疑to suspect
猜中to guess correctly
猜忌to be suspicious and jealous of
猜不透to be unable to guess or make out
猜拳Morra
瞎猜blind guess
两小无猜innocent playmates兩小無猜
猜度to surmise
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 猜 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 猜
猜 (cāi) means 'to guess' and implies a level of uncertainty, while 认为 (rènwéi) means 'to believe' or 'to think' and suggests a more confident stance. Use 猜 when you are unsure and making a guess, and 认为 when stating a belief or opinion.
Yes, 猜 (cāi) is commonly used in everyday conversation, especially when discussing opinions, making guesses, or playing guessing games. It's a versatile word that can fit into many informal contexts.
猜 (cāi) means 'to guess' in Chinese. It can also imply conjecturing or supposing something based on available information. This character is commonly used in various contexts, such as games, predictions, and assumptions.
You can use 猜 (cāi) in sentences like '我猜这是你的书' (Wǒ cāi zhè shì nǐ de shū), which means 'I guess this is your book.' It's often used when making an educated guess or when you're uncertain about something.
Common phrases include 猜谜 (cāi mí, to guess riddles) and 猜测 (cāi cè, to conjecture).
No, 猜 is typically used in informal contexts and should be avoided in formal writing.
猜 implies guessing or conjecturing without certainty, while 认为 means to believe or consider something to be true.
