Definitions

(bound form) chest; breast; (bound form) inner feelings; subjective

Etymology

The part of the body ⺼ that feels also provides the pronunciation

About

The character "臆" is a phono-semantic compound composed of the semantic radical "肉", indicating a relation to the body, and the phonetic component "意", which also contributes to its meaning. Originally, this character denoted the physical chest or thorax, directly derived from its bodily association. Through semantic extension, influenced by the conceptual field of "意" meaning thought or intention, "臆" acquired additional meanings pertaining to subjective conjecture, guesswork, or personal opinion, as seen in terms like "臆测" for speculation. This evolution resulted in a character that retains its original physical reference while commonly expressing abstract notions of unfounded inference.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

请不要凭空测。

Qǐng bùyào píngkōng yìcè.

Please do not make baseless speculations.

他的想法纯属主观断。

Tā de xiǎngfǎ chúnshǔ zhǔguān yìduàn.

His thoughts are purely subjective assumptions.

我们不能只凭想下结论。

Wǒmen bùnéng zhǐ píng yìxiǎng xià jiélùn.

We cannot draw conclusions based solely on conjecture.

这份报告的内容大多是造的。

Zhè fèn bàogào de nèiróng dàduō shì yìzào de.

Most of the content in this report is fabricated.

调查需要证据,而非个人测。

Diàochá xūyào zhèngjù, ér fēi gèrén yìcè.

An investigation requires evidence, not personal conjecture.

他总爱测他人的动机,这不好。

Tā zǒng ài yìcè tārén de dòngjī, zhè bù hǎo.

He always likes to speculate about others' motives, which is not good.

如果脱离客观事实,就容易陷入断。

Rúguǒ tuōlí kèguān shìshí, jiù róngyì xiànrù yìduàn.

If one deviates from objective facts, it's easy to fall into assumption.

这些情节并非历史,而是小说家的想。

Zhèxiē qíngjié bìng fēi lìshǐ, ér shì xiǎoshuōjiā de yìxiǎng.

These plot points are not history, but the novelist's imagination/conjecture.