计划

• Pinyin: jì huà
• Hanzi breakdown: 计 = 讠 (speech radical) + 十 (ten); 划 = 刂 (knife) + 戈 (weapon) — originally 'to mark out'

Meaning

Plan; to plan. Refers to an arrangement or intention for the future, or the act of making such arrangements.

Used both as a noun ('a plan') and as a verb ('to plan'). Common in daily conversation for discussing future actions, travel plans, study plans, and work arrangements. More structured and deliberate than 打算 (intend), which is more casual.

Examples

1. 你暑假有什么计划？ What plans do you have for summer break?
2. 我们计划下个月去旅游。 We plan to go travelling next month.
3. 她正在做明天的学习计划。 She is making a study plan for tomorrow.

Usage Guide

Context: work, study, travel

Tone: practical

Do Say

• 我的计划是明年去中国。(My plan is to go to China next year.)
• 你计划什么时候开始？(When do you plan to start?)

Don't Say

• 我计划了昨天去商店。(Don't use 计划 for actions already completed — 计划 is forward-looking. Say 我昨天去了商店 instead.)

Origin & History

Compound of 计 (to calculate, to reckon) and 划 (to draw, to delineate), together meaning 'to calculate and outline' a course of action.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal