Definition
防 (fáng) means 'to guard against' or 'to prevent' something undesirable (e.g., fire, scams). It focuses on taking precautions, unlike 阻止 (zǔzhǐ) which means 'to block an ongoing action'. Compared to 防止 (fángzhǐ) and 预防 (yùfáng), 防 is more general and often seen in set compounds like 防火.
verb
to preventto guard againstto protect against
Easily confused
- 仿fǎnglook-aliketo imitate, to copy
- 放fàngsound-aliketo put, to place
- 方fāngsound-alike(adjective) square; cubic
Examples
- 防。Duō hē shuǐ kěyǐ fáng gǎnmào.Drinking more water can help prevent colds.
- 防。Zū fáng shí yào zhùyì fáng piàn.When renting a house, be careful to guard against scams.
- 。Zuò fàn shí yào xiǎoxīn fáng huǒ.When cooking, be careful to prevent fire.
Browse more HSK 5 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.