防患于未然 (fáng huàn yú wèi rán) — to take preventive measures before trouble arises; to nip in the bud
Definition
A formal chengyu meaning 'to prevent trouble before it happens' — act ahead of a problem rather than fix it after. Stronger in tone than the everyday phrase 提前准备.
idiom
to take preventive measures before trouble arisesto nip in the bud
Examples
- 防患于未然，。Zuò rèn hé shì qing dōu yīng gāi fáng huàn yú wèi rán, tí qián zuò hǎo zhǔn bèi.In any undertaking, one should take precautions and prepare in advance.
- 防患于未然，。Zhè cì shì gù tí xǐng wǒ men yào fáng huàn yú wèi rán, jiā qiáng ān quán cuò shī.This accident reminds us to take preventive measures and strengthen safety measures.
- ，防患于未然，。Yǔ qí shì hòu bǔ jiù, bù rú fáng huàn yú wèi rán, bǎ fēng xiǎn jiàng dào zuì dī.Rather than fixing things after the fact, it's better to prevent trouble in advance and minimize risks.
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