caai1猜
Jyutpingcaai1
Yalechāai
Definition
To guess, speculate, or estimate something without being entirely sure.
colloquialdaily actions
How it's used
While 猜 is standard, Cantonese speakers overwhelmingly prefer 估 in daily conversation. Using 猜 often sounds slightly more formal or literary, or is specifically associated with games like 猜枚 or 猜謎. If you are just talking about guessing an answer or a situation, 估 is the natural choice.
Examples
He always likes to guess randomly.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often use 猜 in contexts where 估 is much more natural, making their speech sound slightly stiff or bookish. Additionally, avoid using 猜 when you mean to estimate a quantity or price, as 估計 or 估 is standard for those scenarios.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
