계획서

The word 계획서 (gye-hoek-seo) is a fundamental term in Korean, combining 계획 (plan) and 서 (document). Think of it as your roadmap for success.

When you need to explain your ideas to a boss, a teacher, or a partner, you write a 계획서. It turns abstract thoughts into concrete steps that others can read and understand.

This word is rooted in Hanja (Chinese characters). 계 (計) means to calculate or plan, 획 (劃) means to mark out or delineate, and 서 (書) means document.

Historically, these documents were essential for administrative governance in East Asia. As bureaucracy evolved, the term became the standard way to refer to any written proposal or project plan in modern Korean society.

You will hear this word most often in business or academic settings. People say '계획서를 작성하다' (to write a plan) or '계획서를 제출하다' (to submit a plan).

It is a formal word. You wouldn't use it to describe your weekend plans with a friend; for that, you would just say 계획.

While not an idiom, it appears in common phrases:

• 계획서 검토: Reviewing a proposal.
• 계획서 승인: Approval of a plan.
• 계획서 수정: Revising a document.
• 사업 계획서: Business plan.
• 연구 계획서: Research proposal.

As a noun, it functions as the subject or object of a sentence. It is often used with the particles -를 or -가.

Pronunciation tip: The '계' sound is often pronounced like 'gye' (rhyming with 'play' but with a 'g' sound). Ensure the '서' is crisp.