How to say "guess" in Japanese

• 想像そうぞうJLPT N3approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbIts core sense is imagination; as 'guess' it means picturing in your mind what something is like, without reasoning from evidence — as in guessing what a place looks like or how someone felt.
  あなたには想像そうぞうもつかない、でしょ？↗

  You can't imagine it, can you?
• 推測すいそくJLPT N1approx.Common
  suru verb, transitive verb, no-adjectiveA guess or conjecture worked out from available information; this is the word for inferring a cause, estimating an amount, or speculating about why something happened.
  あなたも同どう意見いけんだと推測すいそくします。↗

  I gather you'll agree with me.
• 察するさっするJLPT N1approx.Common
  suru verb (irregular), transitive verbA verb, not a noun: to sense or presume something from hints, context, or a person's unspoken feelings — guessing what someone wants or how they feel without their saying it.
  この手紙てがみから察さっすると彼かれは立腹りっぷくしているようだ。↗

  I gathered from this letter that he was angry.
• 憶測おくそくCommon
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbThis is speculation rather than an informed guess: conjecture about something unconfirmed, typically lacking solid evidence, and often carrying a critical shade of unfounded rumor, as in media speculation about someone's private life.
• 推察すいさつCommon
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbA surmise about another person's thoughts, feelings, or circumstances; it tends to appear in polite or formal exchanges, when you guess what the other person means or feels.
  彼かれの表情ひょうじょうから本当ほんとうに怒おこっているのだと推察すいさつした。↗

  I gathered from his expression that he was very angry.

Use 想像 for picturing what something is like, 推測 for reasoned conjecture, 憶測 for speculation lacking firm evidence, 推察 for surmising another's feelings, and 「察する」 as the verb for sensing without being told.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 想像そうぞうimagination
• 推測すいそくguess
• 察するさっするto guess
• 憶測おくそくguess
• 推察すいさつguess
• 見当けんとうestimate
• 忖度そんたくsurmise (about someone's feelings)
• 察しさっしconsideration
• 推量すいりょうguess
• 推し量るおしはかるto guess
• 山勘やまかんguess
• 当たりをつけるあたりをつけるto guess
• 察すさっすto guess
• 拝察はいさつsurmise
• 思議しぎconjecture
• 当て推量あてずいりょうconjecture
• 目串めぐしsuspicions
• 揣摩しまconjecture
• うかがい知るうかがいしるto infer
• 当てずっぽうあてずっぽう(random) guess
• 読むよむto predict
• あたりguess
• にらむto estimate
• しのぶto imagine
• うかがうto guess
• 判ずるはんずるto divine
• 判じるはんじるto divine
• やまguess
• 当てるあてるto guess (an answer)
• 踏むふむto estimate