Dog radical on the left - the standing form of
犬, three strokes for a slim animal in profile. Originally
猜 carried a sense of suspicious, wary feelings (a dog's wariness toward strangers -
猜疑,
猜忌). From that came the modern, lighter sense of 'guess, suppose.' Same radical anchors a wide animal family:
狗,
猫,
狼,
狮,
猪.
