1An idea, plan, or proposal — a concrete idea or written proposal put forward at a meeting or in work. Also used as a suffix 「〜案」, as in a legislative bill.
新しい販売促進の案を上司に提出した。
I submitted a new sales-promotion plan to my boss.
いい案が思い浮かばないときは、みんなでブレインストーミングをする。
When no good ideas come to mind, we all brainstorm together.
その法案は今、国会で審議されている。
That bill is currently being deliberated in the Diet.
2A draft or rough copy — a preliminary version of a document, plan, or design that has not yet been finalized.
企画案の第一稿をメールで共有した。
I shared the first draft of the proposal by email.
設計の原案を見直して、修正点をまとめた。
I reviewed the original design draft and compiled a list of points to revise.
3Expectation or supposition. In practice this sense survives almost exclusively in the fixed phrase 「案の定」, meaning 'as expected'.
案の定、彼は約束の時間に遅れてきた。
As expected, he showed up late for the appointment.
4An archaic word for a desk or stand. It is essentially unused in modern everyday Japanese and survives only in classical literature.