规划

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guīhuà: 规划 - To Plan, Planning, Program

Quick Summary

  • Keywords: guihua, 规划, how to say plan in Chinese, Chinese word for planning, urban planning in Chinese, career planning Chinese, long-term plan Chinese, 计划 vs 规划, Chinese five-year plan
  • Summary: Learn the Chinese word 规划 (guīhuà), a term that goes beyond a simple “plan.” 规划 (guīhuà) refers to a large-scale, long-term, and systematic blueprint, essential for understanding concepts from urban planning in Chinese to personal career planning. This guide breaks down its meaning, cultural significance (like China's five-year plans), and how it differs from the more common word for “plan,” 计划 (jìhuà), giving you a deeper insight into the Chinese mindset of strategic, forward-thinking development.

Core Meaning

  • Pinyin (with tone marks): guīhuà
  • Part of Speech: Verb, Noun
  • HSK Level: HSK 5
  • Concise Definition: To map out or blueprint a large-scale, long-term project, system, or development.
  • In a Nutshell: While you might use 计划 (jìhuà) for your weekend plans, 规划 (guīhuà) is for the big stuff. Think of a city planner laying out a new district, a government creating a five-year economic strategy, or an individual mapping out their entire career path. It implies a comprehensive vision, a structured framework, and a long-term perspective. It’s not just about what to do, but about creating the entire system in which things get done.

Character Breakdown

  • 规 (guī): This character's original meaning is related to a compass or a carpenter's square. It represents rules, regulations, and standards. It's the “order” part of the equation.
  • 划 (huà): This character means to draw a line, to mark off, or to delimit an area. It's the action of creating boundaries and defining a space.
  • When you combine them, 规划 (guīhuà) literally means “to draw lines according to rules.” This creates a powerful visual of creating a structured, well-defined blueprint for a future project or vision. It's about imposing order and structure onto a complex idea.

Cultural Context and Significance

  • 规划 (guīhuà) is a cornerstone concept in modern China, reflecting a deep-seated cultural and political emphasis on long-term, collective goals. The most famous example is China's Five-Year Plans (五年规划 - wǔnián guīhuà), a series of national-level social and economic development initiatives that have shaped the country for decades. This demonstrates the term's association with top-down, state-led ambition and societal mobilization.
  • Comparison to Western “Strategic Planning”: In Western business or government, “strategic planning” is a similar concept. However, 规划 (guīhuà) in a Chinese context often carries a stronger sense of holistic, societal engineering and a longer time horizon. While a Western company's strategic plan might focus on outperforming competitors, a Chinese 规划 (especially from the government) is often framed as a blueprint for national rejuvenation or the harmonious development of society. It reflects a collectivist value where individual components are expected to align with a grand, overarching vision for the greater good.

Practical Usage in Modern China

  • 规划 (guīhuà) is a formal and significant word used in specific, high-stakes contexts.
  • Government, Policy, and Urban Development: This is its most common habitat.
    • `城市规划 (chéngshì guīhuà)` - Urban planning
    • `国土空间规划 (guótǔ kōngjiān guīhuà)` - National terrestrial spatial planning
    • `交通规划 (jiāotōng guīhuà)` - Transportation planning
  • Personal Life (Major Decisions): You wouldn't use it for daily chores, but it's perfect for mapping out your future.
    • `人生规划 (rénshēng guīhuà)` - Life planning (a roadmap for your entire life)
    • `职业规划 (zhíyè guīhuà)` - Career planning (a long-term strategy for your professional life)
  • Business and Corporate Strategy:
    • `发展规划 (fāzhǎn guīhuà)` - Development plan
    • `战略规划 (zhànlüè guīhuà)` - Strategic planning
  • Connotation: The term is almost always positive or neutral. It implies foresight, ambition, orderliness, and intelligence. A lack of 规划 is seen as shortsighted and chaotic.

Example Sentences

  • Example 1:
    • 这个城市的规划做得很好，交通很方便。
    • Pinyin: Zhège chéngshì de guīhuà zuò de hěn hǎo, jiāotōng hěn fāngbiàn.
    • English: This city's planning is very well done; the traffic is very convenient.
    • Analysis: Here, 规划 is a noun referring to the comprehensive “urban planning” or “layout” of the city.
  • Example 2:
    • 大学毕业生应该为自己的未来做好职业规划。
    • Pinyin: Dàxué bìyèshēng yīnggāi wèi zìjǐ de wèilái zuò hǎo zhíyè guīhuà.
    • English: University graduates should do a good job of career planning for their future.
    • Analysis: `职业规划 (zhíyè guīhuà)` is a set phrase for “career planning,” seen as a crucial step for young professionals.
  • Example 3:
    • 我们需要规划一下公司未来五年的发展方向。
    • Pinyin: Wǒmen xūyào guīhuà yīxià gōngsī wèilái wǔ nián de fāzhǎn fāngxiàng.
    • English: We need to plan out the company's development direction for the next five years.
    • Analysis: Here, 规划 is used as a verb. Note the long-term (five years) and strategic nature (development direction), making it the perfect word choice.
  • Example 4:
    • 制定一个合理的人生规划对年轻人来说非常重要。
    • Pinyin: Zhìdìng yīgè hélǐ de rénshēng guīhuà duì niánqīng rén lái shuō fēicháng zhòngyào.
    • English: Formulating a reasonable life plan is very important for young people.
    • Analysis: `人生规划 (rénshēng guīhuà)` or “life planning” is a serious concept about setting long-term goals for one's entire life, not just for the next year.
  • Example 5:
    • 政府发布了新的区域发展规划。
    • Pinyin: Zhèngfǔ fābùle xīn de qūyù fāzhǎn guīhuà.
    • English: The government has released a new regional development plan.
    • Analysis: This is a typical, formal usage related to government policy and large-scale development.
  • Example 6:
    • 他正在规划一次穿越欧洲的背包旅行。
    • Pinyin: Tā zhèngzài guīhuà yīcì chuānyuè Ōuzhōu de bèibāo lǚxíng.
    • English: He is planning a backpacking trip across Europe.
    • Analysis: While travel often uses 计划 (jìhuà), using 规划 here implies the trip is complex, long, and requires significant logistical blueprinting, elevating it beyond a simple vacation.
  • Example 7:
    • 这个新区的规划很有远见。
    • Pinyin: Zhège xīnqū de guīhuà hěn yǒu yuǎnjiàn.
    • English: The planning for this new district is very forward-thinking.
    • Analysis: 规划 is often paired with words like `有远见 (yǒu yuǎnjiàn)` meaning “to have foresight,” emphasizing its long-term nature.
  • Example 8:
    • 你对自己的财务状况有什么长期规划吗？
    • Pinyin: Nǐ duì zìjǐ de cáiwù zhuàngkuàng yǒu shénme chángqī guīhuà ma?
    • English: Do you have any long-term plans for your financial situation?
    • Analysis: This question is about a “financial plan” in the sense of a long-term strategy (retirement, investment), not just a monthly budget.
  • Example 9:
    • 缺乏规划是导致项目失败的主要原因。
    • Pinyin: Quēfá guīhuà shì dǎozhì xiàngmù shībài de zhǔyào yuányīn.
    • English: A lack of planning was the main reason the project failed.
    • Analysis: This shows the negative consequence of not having a 规划, highlighting its importance. The failure of a “project” (项目, xiàngmù) implies a scale that requires 规划.
  • Example 10:
    • 我们必须重新规划我们的市场战略。
    • Pinyin: Wǒmen bìxū chóngxīn guīhuà wǒmen de shìchǎng zhànlüè.
    • English: We must re-plan our market strategy.
    • Analysis: As a verb, 规划 means to create the blueprint. `重新规划 (chóngxīn guīhuà)` means to go back to the drawing board on a major strategic level.

Nuances and Common Mistakes

  • 规划 (guīhuà) vs. 计划 (jìhuà): The Golden Rule
    • This is the most common point of confusion. Think of it this way: 规划 (guīhuà) is the blueprint or framework. 计划 (jìhuà) is the list of steps or schedule to follow.
    • `规划 (guīhuà)`: Long-term, strategic, high-level, formal. About the “what” and “why” on a grand scale. (e.g., City plan, 10-year career plan).
    • `计划 (jìhuà)`: Can be short-term, tactical, detailed, informal. About the “how” and “when.” (e.g., Weekend plan, study plan, party plan).
  • Common Mistake: Using 规划 (guīhuà) for simple, everyday plans.
    • Incorrect: `我今天的规划是去购物和打扫房间。` (Wǒ jīntiān de guīhuà shì qù gòuwù hé dǎsǎo fángjiān.)
    • Why it's wrong: This sounds overly dramatic and strange, like you're creating a strategic national blueprint for grocery shopping.
    • Correct: `我今天的计划是去购物和打扫房间。` (Wǒ jīntiān de jìhuà shì qù gòuwù hé dǎsǎo fángjiān.)

Related Terms and Concepts

  • * 计划 (jìhuà) - The most critical related term. A general-purpose “plan” or “project,” usually more tactical and shorter-term than a 规划.
  • * 安排 (ānpái) - To arrange; arrangement. Focuses on scheduling and logistics, like arranging a meeting or a schedule. It's about putting a 计划 into a timetable.
  • * 设计 (shèjì) - To design; design. Refers to the creative and technical act of designing something specific (e.g., a building, a logo, a circuit). A design is often a component within a larger 规划.
  • * 蓝图 (lántú) - Blueprint. A very close synonym for the noun form of 规划, often used metaphorically for a grand vision or plan.
  • * 战略 (zhànlüè) - Strategy. Refers to the high-level, abstract thinking about how to win or achieve a major goal. It is often combined: `战略规划 (zhànlüè guīhuà)`. 战略 is the “way,” 规划 is the map.
  • * 方案 (fāng'àn) - Scheme, proposal. A concrete, detailed plan of action presented for approval. A 方案 is often the output of a 规划 process.
  • * 远景 (yuǎnjǐng) - Long-term vision; prospect. The future state or goal that a 规划 is intended to achieve.