设计 (shèjì)

设计 encompasses the full range of design activities -- from graphic and product design to architectural planning and the design of systems or experiments -- making it indispensable in creative and technical contexts.

Meanings

[verb] to design; to plan; to devise
[noun] design; a plan; a blueprint

Example Sentences

这座建筑由著名建筑师设计，风格独特。 Zhè zuò jiànzhú yóu zhùmíng jiànzhùshī shèjì, fēnggé dútè. This building was designed by a famous architect and has a distinctive style.

产品的外观设计直接影响消费者的购买决策。 Chǎnpǐn de wàiguān shèjì zhíjiē yǐngxiǎng xiāofèizhě de gòumǎi juécè. A product's appearance design directly affects consumers' purchasing decisions.

她花了三个月时间设计这套课程体系。 Tā huā le sān gè yuè shíjiān shèjì zhè tào kèchéng tǐxì. She spent three months designing this curriculum system.

这个网站的界面设计简洁直观。 Zhège wǎngzhàn de jièmiàn shèjì jiǎnjié zhíguān. The interface design of this website is clean and intuitive.

工程师正在设计一种更高效的电池。 Gōngchéngshī zhèngzài shèjì yī zhǒng gèng gāoxiào de diànchí. Engineers are designing a more efficient battery.

这项研究的实验方案是由团队共同设计的。 Zhè xiàng yánjiū de shíyàn fāng'àn shì yóu tuánduì gòngtóng shèjì de. The experimental protocol for this study was designed jointly by the team.

Collocations

Collocation	Meaning
产品设计 (chǎnpǐn shèjì)	product design
界面设计 (jièmiàn shèjì)	interface design
设计方案 (shèjì fāng'àn)	design plan/scheme
室内设计 (shìnèi shèjì)	interior design
精心设计 (jīngxīn shèjì)	carefully designed

Usage Notes

设计 is both a verb and a noun, and covers design in a very broad sense: aesthetic, functional, structural, and procedural. It appears in a wide range of fields from art and architecture to engineering and education.

The verb 设计 often collocates with 方案 (fāng'àn, plan/scheme) and 系统 (xìtǒng, system). When used with a negative connotation, 精心设计 can imply a "carefully orchestrated" scheme, occasionally with a manipulative undertone depending on context.

Memory Hook

设 (to set up/establish) + 计 (to plan/calculate): setting up a calculated plan -- to design.