‘猜想’ is a verb meaning ‘to conjecture’ or ‘to hypothesize’—that is, to form an idea or opinion without definite evidence. The first character 猜 (cāi) means ‘to guess’, often based on intuition or incomplete information; the second character 想 (xiǎng) means ‘to think’ or ‘to consider’. Together, they emphasize thoughtful, reasoned speculation rather than random guessing. It’s commonly used in academic, scientific, or everyday reasoning contexts when someone proposes a possible explanation for something unknown or unobserved.

This word carries a slightly formal or reflective tone—it suggests intellectual engagement, not casual hunches. Unlike 猜 (cāi) alone, which can be playful or spontaneous (e.g., guessing a riddle), 猜想 implies a more deliberate mental process and is frequently found in writing, explanations, or discussions where uncertainty exists but logical inference is applied.