guess
guess — 名詞
1. A try you make at being right about something uncertain, such as a number or an
猜測
沒有把握時所做的回答
A try you make at being right about something uncertain, such as a number or an answer.
Take a guess at how many people are in this room right now.
猜猜看這個房間裡現在有多少人。
collocation: take a guess
Owen made a wild guess and said the jar held three hundred sweets.
Owen 亂猜了一個答案，說罐子裡有三百顆糖果。
collocation: make a guess
Rohan made a guess at the number of marbles in the glass jar and won a prize.
Rohan 猜了玻璃罐裡的彈珠數量，結果贏得了獎品。
Nkechi's first guess was wrong, but her second attempt was right.
Nkechi 第一次猜錯了，但第二次就對了。
Marta said her best guess was that the museum held over two thousand paintings.
Marta 說她最接近的猜測是博物館裡有超過兩千幅畫作。
- estimate
more careful and based on numbers; less casual
- conjecture
formal; used in academic or serious writing
- approximation
focuses on quantity or measurement rather than a yes/no answer
- certainty
a sure fact, not a guess
文法句型
make/take + a guess
guess + at + noun
用法筆記
Often paired with the verb 'make' or 'take' to form common collocations such as 'make a guess' or 'take a guess'.
常見錯誤
2. What someone thinks about a situation when they have no real information to base
猜想
缺乏根據的個人看法
What someone thinks about a situation when they have no real information to base it on.
My guess is that the wedding will be postponed until spring.
我的猜想是婚禮會延期到春天。
pattern: my guess is that + clause
Christopher's guess about the election result was completely wrong.
Christopher 對選舉結果的猜想完全錯了。
After the CEO resigned so suddenly, what happens next is anyone's guess.
執行長突然辭職後，接下來會發生什麼事誰也說不準。
Shirin's guess that the company would close turned out to be correct.
Shirin 猜想公司會倒閉，結果竟然成真了。
Your guess is as good as mine about who will win the prize.
關於誰會得獎，你我的猜測都一樣沒把握。
文法句型
someone's guess + is + that-clause
anyone's guess
用法筆記
This sense often appears in the fixed expressions 'anyone's guess' and 'your guess is as good as mine,' both used when nobody has better information than anyone else.
常見錯誤
guess — 動詞
1. To try to answer something when you lack enough facts to be sure if you are righ
猜
沒有把握地回答
To try to answer something when you lack enough facts to be sure if you are right.
Can you guess how much this old bicycle cost me at the market?
你能猜猜這輛舊腳踏車我在市場花了多少錢嗎？
pattern: guess + how much + clause
Owen guessed the answer before the other students could even think.
Owen 在其他學生還沒想出來之前就猜出了答案。
The children at the birthday party guessed wildly, shouting every colour they could name.
生日派對上的孩子們亂猜一通，大聲喊出所有他們想得到的顏色。
Lucía tried to guess the weight of the pumpkin at the fairground.
Lucía 試著猜猜看園遊會上那顆南瓜有多重。
Asher tried to guess the distance to the mountains by tracing a route on the old map.
Asher 試著看古老的地圖來猜測到那座山的距離。
- estimate
more numerical and reasoned; less a pure guess
- speculate
formal; thinking about possibilities without firm evidence
- hazard a guess
idiomatic; means to offer a guess cautiously
文法句型
guess + (question word) + clause
guess + at + noun
guess + noun
用法筆記
When used transitively, the object is usually the thing being guessed (an answer, a number) or a question-word clause ('guess who,' 'guess where'). When used intransitively, it often pairs with 'at': 'guess at the answer.'
常見錯誤
2. To manage to say what is right despite having scarce information at the start.
猜對
猜中正確答案
To manage to say what is right despite having scarce information at the start.
Élise guessed the right number and won the grand prize for the class.
Élise 猜對了數字，為全班贏得了大獎。
collocation: guess the right [answer/number/etc.]
Nobody guessed who the mystery guest on the show was going to be.
沒有人猜對節目上的神秘嘉賓是誰。
Reuben guessed his sister's password on the very first attempt.
Reuben 第一次就猜中了妹妹的密碼。
If you can guess how old I am, I will buy you dinner tonight.
如果你能猜中我的年齡，我今晚就請你吃晚餐。
Tamás guessed the ending of the film after only ten minutes of watching.
Tamás 看了不到十分鐘就猜出了電影的結局。
- predict correctly
more formal; used for future events
- figure out
involves some reasoning, not just guessing
- hit on
informal; suggests finding something by chance
- miss
to guess incorrectly
文法句型
guess + noun (correct answer)
guess + question word + clause
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 (ANSWER UNCERTAINLY): sense 2 specifically means the guess turned out to be correct. The outcome is part of the meaning — you cannot say 'I guessed the answer' (sense 1 meaning) and then add 'but I was wrong.'
常見錯誤
3. Said as a way to start telling somebody a surprising or exciting piece of news.
你猜怎麼著
引出驚人消息的用語
Said as a way to start telling somebody a surprising or exciting piece of news.
Guess what? I got the job at the children's hospital in Taipei!
你猜怎麼著？我錄取台北那家兒童醫院的工作了！
fixed phrase: Guess what? + exciting news
Guess what happened at swim practice today — Coach Lin announced a meet in Seoul!
你猜今天游泳練習時發生了什麼事——林教練宣布要去首爾比賽！
Guess what? Shirin is moving to Japan to study next month!
你猜怎麼著？Shirin 下個月要搬到日本去讀書了！
Guess what? Evelyn found a hundred-dollar note in an old coat pocket.
你猜怎麼著？Evelyn 在一件舊外套口袋裡發現了一張百元鈔票。
- you'll never guess
longer but more dramatic lead-in
- you know what?
similar function, slightly less enthusiastic
文法句型
Guess what? + [surprising statement]
用法筆記
Always used in informal conversation. 'Guess what?' is not a real question — the speaker will immediately reveal the news whether the listener guesses or not.
常見錯誤
4. Said to ask someone to think of an answer before you tell them something interes
猜猜
邀對方猜後再揭曉
Said to ask someone to think of an answer before you tell them something interesting.
Guess who called me this morning — my old friend from primary school!
猜猜今天早上誰打電話給我——是我小學的老朋友！
pattern: Guess who + clause + revelation
Guess where Tuan is spending his summer vacation — at a farm in the south of France!
猜猜 Tuan 暑假要去哪裡——法國南部的一個農場！
Guess how much the washing machine cost — over four hundred dollars.
猜猜那台洗衣機多少錢——超過四百美元。
Guess when I last saw Pedro — it was over five years ago already.
猜猜我上次見到 Pedro 是什麼時候——已經是五年多前了。
- can you guess
politer version of the same pattern
文法句型
Guess + who/where/what/when + clause
用法筆記
Unlike sense 3 (GUESS WHAT), this sense uses a specific question word (who, where, what, when, how) and expects the listener to try answering before being told.
常見錯誤
5. To form a belief that something about a person or situation is probably true, th
猜想；認為
認為可能但不確定
To form a belief that something about a person or situation is probably true, though you have no proof.
I guess you are right about needing to leave before the traffic gets heavy.
我想你說得對，我們應該在塞車之前出發。
pattern: I guess + (that) + clause
I guess she simply forgot about our meeting this afternoon in the busy day.
我猜想她在忙碌的一天中完全忘了今天下午的會議。
Hari guessed that the package would arrive before Friday morning.
Hari 猜想包裹會在星期五早上之前送達。
I guess my keys are somewhere in the living room, but I cannot spot them yet.
我猜想我的鑰匙應該在客廳某處，但我還找不到。
Piotr guessed the dinner would cost around forty dollars for the group.
Piotr 猜想這頓晚餐大約要花四十美元。
- know
to be certain of something, not merely guessing
文法句型
I guess + (that) + clause
用法筆記
Common in American English for expressing a tentative opinion. Less common in formal British English, where 'suppose' or 'imagine' may be preferred. The subject is almost always 'I.'
常見錯誤
6. A short spoken reply that gives a hesitant 'yes' in answer to a yes-or-no questi
我想是吧
不太確定的肯定回應
A short spoken reply that gives a hesitant 'yes' in answer to a yes-or-no question.
"Are you coming to the party tonight?" "I guess so, if I finish work early."
「你今晚要來派對嗎？」「應該會吧，如果我早點下班的話。」
fixed phrase: I guess so
"Is this the right bus for the train station?" "I guess so, but I am not sure."
「這是去火車站的正確公車嗎？」「應該是，但我不太確定。」
"Do you think it will rain this afternoon?" "I guess so — the sky looks dark."
「你覺得今天下午會下雨嗎？」「好像會——天空看起來陰陰的。」
"Can we afford a new sofa this month?" "I guess not, unless we save more."
「我們這個月買得起新沙發嗎？」「大概不行吧，除非我們多存點錢。」
- I suppose so
slightly more formal and British
- probably
single-word alternative in casual replies
- I don't think so
stronger denial of what was asked
文法句型
"I guess so" as answer to yes/no question
"I guess not"
用法筆記
Used as a standalone spoken response. The full form 'I guess so' functions as a single chunk. The negative counterpart is 'I guess not.'
常見錯誤
7. A spoken reply that shows limited agreement with someone's statement, often to s
算是吧
不太強烈的贊同
A spoken reply that shows limited agreement with someone's statement, often to signal a different opinion.
"The film was quite good, was not it?" "I guess, but the ending was disappointing."
「那部電影還不錯，對吧？」「算是吧，但結局很令人失望。」
pattern: I guess, but + qualification
"Would you say she is a fair teacher?" "I guess, though she can be a bit strict."
「你覺得她是個公平的老師嗎？」「算是吧，不過她有時有點嚴格。」
"The blue curtains look better in this room, do they not?" "I guess, but I still like the grey ones."
「藍色窗簾在這房間裡看起來比較好，對吧？」「算是吧，但我還是比較喜歡灰色的。」
"The food at that restaurant is good, is not it?" "I guess, but it is quite expensive."
「那家餐廳的食物很好吃，對吧？」「算是吧，但價格不便宜。」
- definitely
expresses full and certain agreement
文法句型
"I guess" as standalone response
"I guess, but + [qualifying statement]"
用法筆記
The speaker often follows 'I guess' with 'but' or 'though' to explain their reservation. The tone can suggest reluctance or mild doubt.
常見錯誤
8. To state what you have just decided to do yourself, often with a tone of relucta
大概會
表達可能的打算
To state what you have just decided to do yourself, often with a tone of reluctant acceptance.
I guess I will start cooking dinner around six o'clock this evening.
我想我大概六點左右會開始做晚餐。
pattern: I guess I will + verb
I guess we will take the train instead of driving in this terrible rain.
我想我們會搭火車而不是在這麼大的雨中開車。
Obi guessed he would finish painting the fence by Friday afternoon.
Obi 猜想他應該會在星期五下午之前刷完圍籬。
I guess I will take the earlier bus so I can reach the station before the rush hour.
我想我會搭早一點的公車，這樣就能在尖峰時間之前到達車站。
I guess they will announce the winner after the lunch break ends.
我想他們會在午休結束後宣布得獎者。
- suppose I'll
British equivalent; 'I suppose I'll start dinner now'
- reckon I'll
informal British/Australian
文法句型
I guess + I/we + will + verb
用法筆記
This sense implies a decision that is made at the moment of speaking, often with a tone of acceptance or resignation. The subject is typically 'I' or 'we.'