规划

• Pinyin: guī huà
• Hanzi breakdown: 规 = 夫 (man) + 见 (see) — a compass, rules; 划 = 戈 (weapon) + 刂 (knife) — to divide/plan

Meaning

To plan; planning; a plan. Systematic arrangement of goals and steps, especially for large-scale or long-term projects.

More comprehensive and formal than 计划. Often used for urban planning (城市规划), career planning (职业规划), and national development (发展规划). Implies strategic, long-term thinking.

Examples

1. 政府正在制定城市发展的新规划。 The government is formulating a new plan for urban development.
2. 你对自己的未来有什么规划？ What plans do you have for your future?
3. 这个项目需要详细的规划才能成功。 This project needs detailed planning to succeed.

Usage Guide

Context: government, business, personal development

Tone: strategic

Do Say

• 我们需要一个长期规划。(We need a long-term plan.)
• 你的职业规划是什么？(What is your career plan?)

Don't Say

• 说'规划今天晚上做什么'表示今晚计划 (Don't use 规划 for short-term daily plans — use 计划 or 安排; 规划 is for strategic, longer-term planning)

Origin & History

规 (rule, compass) + 划 (to draw, to plan). Together meaning to draw out rules or map out a plan.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal