The word 打算 is formed through the common Chinese process of semantic compounding, where two independent characters, each with their own meanings, are combined to create a new, related concept. The character 打 originally conveys the sense of "to strike" or "to undertake an action", while 算 means "to calculate" or "to reckon". When merged, the literal action of "striking a calculation" evolves metaphorically into the abstract notion of "to plan" or "to intend", conceptually linking the act of physical preparation with mental deliberation.