theory
- n. 理论, 学说, 原理
- n. 猜想, 推测
- Definition
- n. a set of ideas that explains why something happens or how it works
- n. a guess or idea about what might happen or be true, without proof
- Example
- The scientist explained her theory about how birds migrate.
- 这位科学家解释了她关于候鸟如何迁徙的理论。
Synonyms & Differences 近义词辨析
Compared meaning: a guess about why something happens (noun).
比较义项：猜想，推测（名词）。
- theory 本词
More casual and general; can be a personal guess without any plan to test it, used in everyday conversation as well as science.
语气更随意、更宽泛；可以只是个人猜测，不一定打算去验证，日常对话和科学语境中都能使用。
I have a theory about why he never answers his phone at night.
我有个猜测，关于他为什么晚上从不接电话。
- hypothesis
More formal and scientific; specifically an explanation proposed so it can be tested by experiment or evidence, not just a casual guess.
更正式、更具科学性；特指为了通过实验或证据来检验而提出的解释，而不只是随口的猜测。
Her hypothesis was that plants grow faster with classical music playing.
她的假设是，播放古典音乐会让植物长得更快。
Theory and hypothesis both mean an untested idea about why something happens. Theory is casual and general, even just a personal guess; hypothesis is more formal, meaning an idea made to be tested by experiment. Theory can also mean a system of ideas, not compared.
两词都指对某事的成因或结果提出的一种未经证实的想法，但 theory 语气更随意、更宽泛，可以只是个人推测；hypothesis 更正式，通常指可以通过实验或检验来验证的设想，常用于科学语境。theory 在日常英语中还有“系统的理论体系”这一义项，此处不作比较。