Comparing "dasuan" and "jihua"

打算 (dǎsuàn) and 计划 (jìhuà) are both verbs as well as nouns that mean "to plan" or "to intend." 打算 is used in informal speech and writing, whereas 计划 is used in formal situations. A key difference between these words is 打算 expresses that a thought or intent to do something exists, but concrete steps or a firm action plan has not yet been finalized, whereas 计划 expresses a thought or idea to do something which not only exists, but also already has a concrete action plan in place to carry out the plan.

B1HSK4ASV4567

	打算 (dǎsuàn)	计划 (jìhuà)
Meaning	to plan, to intend; vague plans	to plan, to intend; a concrete plan
Part of Speech	verb, noun	verb, noun
Formality	informal	formal

:Yes

打算 and 计划 can often be used interchangeably

Common Phrases

In the following examples both 打算 and 计划 can be used.

• 有 什么 打算 / 计划 ？ Yǒu shénme dǎsuàn / jìhuà ？ What's the plan?
• 打算 / 计划 好 了 dǎsuàn / jìhuà hǎo le is all planned
• 有没有 打算 / 计划 ？ Yǒuméiyǒu dǎsuàn / jìhuà ？ Is there a plan?
• 没有 打算 / 计划méiyǒu dǎsuàn / jìhuàthere is no plan
• 有 打算 / 计划yǒu dǎsuàn / jìhuàthere is a plan

Example Sentences

• 关于 今年 国庆节 去 哪里，我 还 没有 什么 打算 。Guānyú jīnnián Guóqìngjié qù nǎlǐ, wǒ hái méiyǒu shénme dǎsuàn.I don't have any plans yet about where to go for the National Day holiday this year.
• 今年 的 圣诞节 你 有 什么 计划 ？Jīnnián de Shèngdànjié nǐ yǒu shénme jìhuà ？What are your plans for Christmas this year?
• 我们 打算 研究 一下 再 决定。Wǒmen dǎsuàn yánjiū yīxià zài juédìng.We are going to look into it before deciding.
• 我 已经 找到 了 新 工作，所以 下个 月 我 打算 辞职。Wǒ yǐjīng zhǎodào le xīn gōngzuò, suǒyǐ xiàge yuè wǒ dǎsuàn cízhí.I have found a new job, so I am planning to quit next month.

打算 is common in spoken Chinese for talking about vague plans

This is exactly the word you want when talking about fluid, indefinite weekend plans. You don't have a detailed itinerary with priority rankings for your weekend activities, right? And everything could change last minute, right? Use 打算.

Example Sentences

• 你 今天 晚上 打算 做 什么？Nǐ jīntiān wǎnshang dǎsuàn zuò shénme?What are you planning to do tonight?
• 明天 她 打算 去 看 医生。íngtiān tā dǎsuàn qù kàn yīshēng.Tomorrow she plans to go to the doctor.
• 我 打算 退休 以后 回 老家。Wǒ dǎsuàn tuìxiū yǐhòu huí lǎojiā.I'm planning to go back to my hometown after I retire.
• 这个 周末 我 还 没有 什么 打算 。Zhège zhōumò wǒ hái méiyǒu shénme dǎsuàn .I don't have any plans for this weekend yet.
• 明年 我们 打算 换 一 批 新 的 供应商 。Míngnián wǒmen dǎsuàn huàn yī pī xīn de gōngyìngshāng.We are planning to get a new batch of suppliers next year.

计划 often involves long-term future goals

These are the kinds of serious plans related to work, academics, and government policies. Detailed itineraries and timetables with priority rankings and Gantt charts are all on the table when you use 计划.

Common Phrases

• 研究 计划yánjiū jìhuàresearch plan
• 学习 计划xuéxí jìhuàstudy plan
• 一份 计划yī fèn jìhuàa (written) plan
• 做 计划zuò jìhuàto make a plan
• 计划 未来jìhuà wèiláito plan for the future
• 计划 生育jìhuà shēngyùfamily planning, birth control

Example Sentences

• 你 是 怎么 计划 你 的 未来 的？Nǐ shì zěnme jìhuà nǐ de wèilái de?How do you plan your future?
• 这 是 我们 今年 的 研究 计划 。Zhè shì wǒmen jīnnián de yánjiū jìhuà.This is our research plan for this year.
• 我 做 了 一 份 未来 三 年 的 学习 计划。Wǒ zuò le yī fèn wèilái sān nián de xuéxí jìhuà.I've made a study plan for the next three years.
• 在 你 的 国家 有 计划 生育 政策 吗？Zài nǐ de guójiā yǒu jìhuà shēngyù zhèngcè ma?Do you have a family planning policy in your country?

Sources and further reading

Websites

• HiNative: "打算" 和 "计划" 和有什么不一样?
• Douban: [打算和计划的区别 https://site.douban.com/211595/widget/notes/13480437/note/389249782/]
• [打算,计划 https://www.kekeshici.com/hanyuweb/tongfanyici/24565.html]