The word "猜测" is formed by combining two characters, "猜" and "测", which both independently relate to the act of forming a conclusion without certain knowledge. "猜" carries the core meaning of guessing or suspecting, often intuitively, while "测" adds the dimension of measuring, inferring, or deducing, implying a more analytical or probing thought process. Together, they create a compound word where the meanings reinforce and nuance each other, painting a more complete picture of speculation that involves both instinctive conjecture and reasoned estimation. This method of pairing semantically similar characters to solidify and enrich a concept is a classic pattern in Chinese word formation.