‘占卜’ (zhān bǔ) is a noun meaning 'divination' — the practice of seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown through supernatural means. The first character 占 (zhān) originally meant 'to observe omens' or 'to interpret signs', while 卜 (bǔ) refers specifically to 'casting lots' or 'cracking oracle bones' — an ancient method used in Shang dynasty China. Together, they form a compound word that encompasses various traditional Chinese fortune-telling practices, including reading oracle bones, interpreting cracks in heated turtle shells, and later methods like I Ching (Yijing) readings.

Although historically tied to royal rituals and ancestral worship, 占卜 today appears in cultural discussions, historical texts, and sometimes modern spiritual contexts. It carries a classical, somewhat formal tone and is rarely used in casual daily speech. Unlike general terms like 算命 (suàn mìng, 'fortune-telling'), 占卜 emphasizes ritualized, symbolic interpretation rather than personal prediction — often involving animals (e.g., turtle shells, ox scapulae) or natural phenomena.