憶測・臆測|おくそくokusoku[0]heiban (flat)
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Which spelling to use
憶測憶測 is the most common written form and the recommended choice for beginners; use it when writing this word.
臆測臆測 is a kanji-only variant that is rarely used, so learners will seldom encounter it and generally need not choose it for writing.
Definitions
- noun, suru verb, transitive verbguess; speculation; supposition
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 憶測する（おくそくする） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 憶測します（おくそくします） |
| Negative (nai) | 憶測しない（おくそくしない） |
| polite (masen) | 憶測しません（おくそくしません） |
| classical zu / nu | 憶測せず・憶測せぬ（おくそくせず・おくそくせぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 憶測した（おくそくした） |
| polite (mashita) | 憶測しました（おくそくしました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 憶測しなかった（おくそくしなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 憶測しませんでした（おくそくしませんでした） |
| Te form | 憶測して（おくそくして） |
| Potential | 憶測できる（おくそくできる） |
| Passive | 憶測される（おくそくされる） |
| Causative | 憶測させる（おくそくさせる） |
| Causative passive | 憶測させられる（おくそくさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 憶測すれば（おくそくすれば） |
| tara | 憶測したら（おくそくしたら） |
| Volitional | 憶測しよう（おくそくしよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 憶測しましょう（おくそくしましょう） |
| Imperative | 憶測しろ（おくそくしろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym推測すいそくNeutralNeutral: to infer from available clues. 「憶測」 stresses guessing from unreliable, imagined grounds and often carries a negative shade.
- Synonym推量すいりょうWrittenWritten/formal: guessing or supposing; in grammar it also covers conjecture expressed with 「う」「らしい」. 「憶測」 stresses unreliable grounds.
- Synonym推察すいさつWrittenWritten/formal: surmising how something happened, its cause, or another's feelings, as in 「ご推察の通り」. 「憶測」 stresses unreliable grounds.
- Synonym忖度そんたくWrittenWritten/formal: reading another's mind, or anticipating and deferring to a superior's wishes. 「憶測」 is about wildly guessing at matters.
- Synonym類推るいすいWrittenWritten/formal: reasoning by analogy from points of resemblance. 「憶測」 rests on unreliable grounds.
- Synonym臆度おくたくWrittenWritten but rare: conjecture lacking solid grounds; in everyday use, say 「憶測」.
- Related察しさっしNeutralNeutral: sensing or reading a situation or someone's feelings, as in 「お察しします」. 「憶測」 stresses guessing from unreliable grounds.
- Related想像そうぞうNeutralNeutral: imagination — picturing things in the mind, not necessarily guessing at facts. 「憶測」 leans toward guessing at the truth.
- Related推論すいろんWrittenWritten/formal: logical inference from facts. 「憶測」 rests on unreliable grounds.
- Related推定すいていWrittenWritten/formal: presuming from circumstances, notably in legal use. 「憶測」 rests on unreliable grounds.
- Related仮定かていWrittenWritten/formal: an assumption taken as a premise, regardless of fact. 「憶測」 is guessing.
- Related見当けんとうNeutralNeutral: a rough estimate, as in 「見当がつかない」. 「憶測」 stresses guessing from unreliable grounds.
- Related想定そうていWrittenWritten/formal: positing a situation or scenario. 「憶測」 leans toward guessing at the truth.
- Related予測よそくNeutralNeutral: predicting things still to come, as in 「需要予測」. 「憶測」 usually targets the present state or the truth.
- Related揣摩臆測しまおくそくWrittenWritten four-character compound: letting the imagination run wild in baseless conjecture. 「憶測」 is more concise.
- Related当て推量あてずいりょうNeutralNeutral: blind guessing with no solid grounds. 「憶測」 is the more literary word.
- Related憶説おくせつWrittenWritten/formal: an opinion put forward on conjecture. 「憶測」 is the act of guessing itself.
- Related憶断おくだんWrittenWritten/formal: jumping to a conclusion on conjecture. 「憶測」 is the guessing itself.
- Related揣摩しまWrittenWritten/formal: fathoming or surmising. 「憶測」 is more common.
- Related当てずっぽうあてずっぽうCasualColloquial: a wild, random guess. 「憶測」 is the more literary word.
- Related推考すいこうWrittenWritten but rare: thinking something through by surmise. 「憶測」 is more common.
- Related推知すいちWrittenWritten/formal: coming to know something by inference. 「憶測」 stresses guessing from unreliable grounds.
- Related臆見おっけんWrittenWritten/formal: a view held without solid grounds. 「憶測」 is more common.
- Related想察そうさつWrittenWritten/formal: surmising another person's feelings or a situation. 「憶測」 leans toward guessing at facts.
- Antonym事実じじつNeutralNeutral: what actually happened or is true — the opposite of 「憶測」, which is arrived at by guessing.
Use 「憶測」 for guessing on unreliable grounds, as in 「憶測を呼ぶ」 or 「憶測が飛び交う」; pick 「推測」 to infer from clues, 「推察」 to read into matters or feelings, 「当てずっぽう」 for a wild guess, and 「事実」 for the opposite, fact.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
