疑为… / 疑似…
suspected to be; thought to be (formal)
Structure
主语 疑为 名词（推测的身份、原因） · 疑似 ＋ 名词／动词
What it means
Written ‘suspected to be, thought to be’ (= 被怀疑是, 可能是): a judgement the writer cannot yet prove.
How it is built
Subject + 疑为 + noun (identity, cause), or 疑似 + noun/verb: 起火原因疑为电线老化 (the fire is thought to be due to old wiring); 疑似病例 (a suspected case).
When to use it
News reports, police statements, museum labels, scholarly writing. 疑似 goes before a noun or verb (疑似假货, 疑似感染). In speech say 可能是 or 好像是.
Watch out
为 already means ‘to be’, so don't add 是: ✗疑为是电线老化 ✓疑为电线老化. Don't confuse 疑为 yí wéi with 以为 yǐ wéi, ‘to believe (wrongly)’.
Examples
工地上挖出的这座古墓，疑为汉朝一位贵族的墓。
The ancient tomb found on the building site is thought to be that of a Han-dynasty noble.
起火原因疑为电线老化，具体情况还在调查中。
The fire is suspected to have been caused by old wiring; the details are still under investigation.
医院昨天接收了一名疑似感染新型病毒的病人。
Yesterday the hospital admitted a patient suspected of having caught the new virus.
Learn this in Lesson 174 · HSK 7–9: 三星堆 (Sanxingdui)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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