A Comparative Study of Probability Markers across Inferential Types in Chinese and Japanese: A Trans-East Asian Perspective

Epistemic modality ─ especially probability, between possibility and necessity ─ remains unstable in theory. In Chinese yinggai (应该) and Japanese hazuda (ハズダ), often seen as equivalent probability markers, usage shows qualitative differences. Using a unified inference-based framework, this study finds yinggai conveys subjective judgment grounded in specific, individualized evidence, relying on abductive and analogical reasoning, combining evidential clarity with uncertainty. In contrast, hazuda balances deductive and abductive reasoning, drawing from socially shared assumptions for more objectively grounded inferences. This contrast illustrates how a shared semantic category is reinterpreted across languages, reflecting deeper differences in epistemic framing.