‘猜谜’ literally means ‘to guess riddles’ — combining 猜 (cāi), meaning ‘to guess’ or ‘to figure out’, and 谜 (mí), meaning ‘riddle’ or ‘puzzle’. It refers to the activity of solving wordplay-based, logical, or culturally embedded riddles, often enjoyed during festivals like Spring Festival or Lantern Festival, where riddles are posted on lanterns for people to solve. The word emphasizes active thinking, deduction, and linguistic creativity.

This verb is commonly used in both spoken and written Chinese, especially in educational, festive, or recreational contexts. It’s often followed by an object (e.g., 猜谜语, 猜灯谜) or used intransitively (e.g., 我们一起猜谜). While 猜 alone can mean ‘to guess’ broadly, adding 谜 specifies the activity is about riddles — not general speculation or fortune-telling. It carries a light, playful connotation and is rarely used in formal or technical writing.