‘打算’ (dǎ suàn) is a verb meaning 'to plan' or 'to intend' to do something. Though it contains the characters 打 (dǎ, often meaning 'to hit' or used as a verb prefix) and 算 (suàn, meaning 'to calculate' or 'to consider'), together they form an idiom where 打 functions as a light verb and 算 carries the core meaning of 'reckoning' or 'deliberation'—so literally 'to reckon/consider doing something.' It expresses a future-oriented intention that is still tentative or in the planning stage, not yet committed or executed.

This word is commonly used in everyday speech and writing when talking about personal plans, decisions, or goals—such as travel, study, work, or daily activities. It typically appears before a verb phrase (e.g., 打算去北京, 打算学汉语) and can be modified by time words like 明天 or 下个月. Unlike 决定 (to decide), 打算 implies less certainty; unlike 想 (to want), it conveys more concrete intention backed by some thought or preparation.