预防

预防 means 'prevention' or 'precaution,' referring to actions taken to stop something bad from happening before it occurs. It emphasizes proactive measures rather than reactive responses.

The character 预 (yù) originally meant 'forethought' or 'anticipation,' while 防 (fáng) means 'to guard against' or 'to prevent.' Together, they form a word that captures the idea of taking steps in advance to avoid negative outcomes.

预防 is commonly used in health, safety, and public policy contexts. For example, vaccination is a form of prevention. In daily life, people might talk about prevention when discussing accident avoidance, disease control, or risk management. It reflects a cultural emphasis on preparedness and foresight.