intend

Compared meaning: to plan or want to do something (verb).

比较义项：打算，想要做某事（动词）。

• mean

  Casual and personal in tone; very often used as 'didn't mean to' to explain an unintentional action or clarify one's true intention; sounds informal for stating scheduled plans.

  语气随意、偏个人化；很常用“didn't mean to”来解释无意的行为或说明自己真实的用意；用来陈述有时间安排的正式计划时会显得不自然。

  I didn't mean to interrupt your important meeting.

  我不是故意要打断你们的重要会议。

• intend 本词

  More formal and deliberate; used to state a clear plan or goal, common in written or professional contexts, often paired with a specific deadline or timeframe.

  更正式、更强调深思熟虑；用于陈述明确的计划或目标，常见于书面或正式场合，常搭配具体的截止日期或时间安排。

  I intend to finish this project by next week.

  我打算在下周之前完成这个项目。

Mean and intend both mean to plan to do something. Mean is casual, often 'didn't mean to', explaining an accident or true intention. Intend is more formal, for a clear plan, common in writing. Mean's other sense, 'to signify', is not compared here.

这两个词在“打算、想要做某事”这个意义上很接近，容易混淆，但语气和正式程度不同：mean带有更强的主观意图色彩，常用于口语中解释自己本来的用意，尤其是“didn't mean to”这种为无意行为道歉的说法；intend更正式、更强调深思熟虑的计划，常见于书面或正式场合。这里不比较mean的另一个常见义项“（词语等）意味着，表示某种意思”，例如This word means...。