In a culture that values long-term planning and stability, from imperial-era astrological charts to modern-day five-year economic plans, the ability to 预测 (yùcè) the future has always been significant. While ancient China had forms of divination like consulting oracle bones or the I Ching (《易经》), the modern term 预测 (yùcè) is almost exclusively scientific and secular. A useful comparison to Western culture is the distinction between a “prediction” and a “forecast.” While “prediction” in English can sometimes carry a hint of a psychic guess or a simple hunch, 预测 (yùcè) aligns almost perfectly with the more data-driven, analytical concept of a “forecast.” For instance, an American might casually “predict” who will win a sports game based on gut feeling. In Chinese, while you could use 预测, it implies you have some basis for your claim; using 猜 (cāi - to guess) would be more common for a simple hunch. This reflects a cultural inclination towards grounding future-looking statements in evidence and analysis.
预测 (yùcè) is a common and important word in formal and semi-formal contexts.