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提防 (dī fang) — to guard against, to be on alert for (danger, deception, etc.)

Definition

提防 means to watch out for a specific person or trick, often a hidden or human threat (a scammer, a loophole). 防范 and 预防 are more general and systematic, aimed at broad categories of risk.

verb
to guard againstto be on alert for (danger, deception, etc.)

Examples

  • 提防。
    Wài chū lǚ xíng shí yào dī fang gè zhǒng piàn jú.
    When traveling, guard against various scams.
  • 提防。
    Kāi chē shí yào dī fang xíng rén tū rán héng chuān mǎ lù.
    When driving, watch out for pedestrians suddenly crossing the road.
  • 提防，。
    Nǐ dī fang zhe diǎn r, bié ràng tā men zuàn le kòng zi.
    Be on guard, don't let them take advantage of loopholes.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

提tíbe alert
防fángguard against

「提」 carries the sense of being alert, and 「防」 carries the sense of guarding against harm; together they mean to watch for danger.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
是
是shì提tí
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

提 shows 扌 (hand) beside 是, which gives the pronunciation.

Open 提 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
阝Written in full as阜fù
Sound part声符shēngfú
方
方fāng防fáng
Same sound today

防 pairs 阝 (written fully as 阜) with 方, which gives the sound.

Open 防 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Safety & Danger

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.