预算 (yùsuàn)

预算 means "budget" as a noun and "to budget" as a verb, referring to a planned estimate of how money will be spent or allocated.

Meanings

[noun] budget; financial plan; estimate
[verb] to budget; to plan financially

Example Sentences

这个项目的预算是一百万元。 Zhège xiàngmù de yùsuàn shì yī bǎi wàn yuán. The budget for this project is one million yuan.

政府公布了今年的财政预算。 Zhèngfǔ gōngbù le jīnnián de cáizhèng yùsuàn. The government announced this year's fiscal budget.

我们必须在预算范围内完成工作。 Wǒmen bìxū zài yùsuàn fànwéi nèi wánchéng gōngzuò. We must complete the work within the budget.

旅行前要做好预算，避免超支。 Lǚxíng qián yào zuò hǎo yùsuàn, bìmiǎn chāozhī. Before traveling, plan your budget well to avoid overspending.

Collocations

Collocation	Meaning
制定预算	to set a budget
超出预算	to exceed the budget
财政预算	fiscal budget
预算方案	budget plan

Usage Notes

预算 is used in both personal finance and large-scale governmental or corporate budgeting. It implies advance planning (预, in advance) and calculation (算, to calculate). Common concerns involve 超出预算 (going over budget) or 控制预算 (keeping costs within budget). In Chinese government contexts, the annual 财政预算 (fiscal budget) is a major news topic.

Memory Hook

预 (yù) means "in advance" and 算 (suàn) means "to calculate": 预算 is calculating your finances in advance, which is exactly what a budget is.