The word 方案 is formed by combining two meaningful characters: 方, which originally depicted a square or a boat with two individuals, conveying ideas of "method", "direction", or "squareness"; and 案, which depicts a tree (木) under a roof (宀), representing a "table", "desk", or "legal case". Together, they create a conceptual blend where 方 provides the sense of a "prescribed method" or "plan", and 案 contributes the notion of a formal document or proposal laid upon a table for consideration. Thus, the compound visually and semantically evokes the image of a structured plan or formal proposal set forth for deliberation and implementation.