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打算 (dǎ suàn) — (verb) to plan; to intend; (noun) plan; intention

Definition

打算 is the everyday 'to plan / intend' and also the noun 'plan'. It pairs with 准备 in the 'intend' sense, but 准备 also means concrete preparation (food, work) — 打算 is only about future intention.

verb
to planto intend
noun
planintention
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 打算。
    Wǒ dǎ suàn míng tiān qù tú shū guǎn.
    I plan to go to the library tomorrow.
  • 打算？
    Nǐ dǎ suàn xué shén me yǔ yán?
    What language do you plan to study?
  • 打算。
    Tā yǒu yí gè hǎo dǎ suàn.
    He has a good plan.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

打dǎplan
算suàncalculate

打 and 算 both involve calculating or arranging, giving the sense of planning or intending.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng打dǎ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

打 uses 扌, a hand, to show an action done with the hand, and 丁 to give the sound.

Open 打 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The current form 算 has 竹 on top, 目 in the middle, and 廾 below; the 目 part may have originally drawn counting rods, often made of bamboo.

Open 算 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 3500 Most Frequent Chinese WordsHSK 2.0 Level 31000 Most Frequent Chinese WordsWill & Intention2000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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