打算
dǎsuàn · HSK 2
plan
📋 打算 = hit/strike + calculate → strike a calculation = make a plan
打 (dǎ, to hit/do) plus 算 (suàn, to calculate/reckon) literally combines as 'do the calculating' — i.e. work out a plan or intention. Common in 我打算去… 'I plan to go…'.
打 — hand radical 扌 + nail 丁
打 combines the hand radical 扌 (action with the hand) with 丁 (originally a nail), suggesting striking or hitting with the hand. 丁 also serves as a phonetic hint in older readings. The meaning broadened from 'to strike' to a general verb for many hand-based actions, like 打电话 'make a phone call'.
算 — bamboo 竹 + abacus 具 (eye 目 + two hands 廾)
Originally depicted counting with bamboo rods on an abacus-like device. The top 竹 (bamboo) refers to the bamboo counting sticks used in ancient Chinese arithmetic, while the bottom shows hands manipulating them. The meaning broadened from 'to count' to 'to calculate' or 'to plan'.