Meaning
盘算 means to carefully think through or calculate a plan, often with a focus on considering all angles and weighing options. It carries a sense of deliberate planning or mentally working through details, sometimes with a hint of scheming or self-interest, though not necessarily negative.
Usage
Native speakers use 盘算 when describing careful consideration of plans, finances, or strategies. It often appears when someone is weighing their options or calculating the best course of action. The word can imply either prudent planning or, in some contexts, crafty scheming. Commonly used with objects like 前途 (future), 生意 (business), or 心思 (thoughts).
Examples
- 01他心里盘算着该怎么说服父母。.He was thinking about how to persuade his parents.
- 02我得好好盘算一下这笔生意是否值得做。.I need to carefully figure out whether this business deal is worth doing.
Characters
Common collocations
- 盘算着thinking about, calculating
- 心里盘算to calculate in one's mind
- 仔细盘算to carefully calculate
- 盘算一下to figure out, to think through
Antonyms
Origin
盘 originally meant to coil or wind, and extended to mean examining something thoroughly by turning it over. Combined with 算 (to calculate), the compound suggests the mental process of turning over and calculating various factors.