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当たりをつける (あたりをつける) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

当あたりをつける

Meanings

1

expression, ichidan verb

guess; estimate; make an educated guess

Used when forming a rough estimate or hypothesis based on available information, often before taking action or making a decision.

犯はん人にんの居い場ば所しょに当あたりをつけて、警けい察さつが動うごき出だした。
The police made an educated guess about the culprit's whereabouts and started moving.

彼かれは経けい験けんから、どの株かぶが上あがるか当あたりをつけている。

Based on his experience, he estimates which stocks will rise.

Written forms

当あたりをつける
Standard kanji spelling for this expression.
当あたりを付つける
Variant using 付ける instead of つける; both are common.

Kanji

当hit, right, appropriate
付adhere, attach, refer to

Similar words

見けん当とうをつける
Similar in meaning, but 見当をつける often implies a more deliberate estimation or aiming, while 当たりをつける can be more intuitive or based on a hunch.
推すい測そくする
推測する is a more formal term for 'infer' or 'conjecture', whereas 当たりをつける is a colloquial expression for making a rough guess.

Etymology

From 当たり (hit, guess) + を + つける (to attach, to apply). The expression literally means 'to attach a guess', i.e., to form a rough estimate.