预警 (yù jǐng) — to give early warning | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

预警 focuses on issuing a warning BEFORE something happens, to prevent risk. Unlike 警告 or 警示, which alert someone to an existing problem or wrongdoing, 预警 is predictive and forward-looking.

verb

to give early warning

Examples

预警。
Qì xiàng tái yù jǐng tái fēng jí jiāng dào lái.
The weather station issued an early warning that the typhoon is coming.
预警。
Zhè ge xì tǒng néng tí qián yù jǐng fēng xiǎn.
This system can provide early warning of risks.
预警。
Jiàn lì yù jǐng jī zhì kě yǐ bǎo zhàng ān quán.
Establishing an early warning mechanism can ensure safety.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

警jǐngwarning

预 (early) and 警 (warning) combine to mean give an early warning.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 預; 预 is its simplified writing.

予頁預

Meaning part形符xíngfú

頁頁yè

Sound part声符shēngfú

予

予yǔ預yù

Same sound today

The traditional form 預 combines 予 for the sound and 頁 for the meaning; the simplified 预 is a later shorthand.

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

敬言警

Meaning part形符xíngfú

言言yánspoken language, speech

Sound part声符shēngfú

敬

Same sound today

警 places 言 (speech) below 敬; 敬 gives the sound.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 Safety & Danger

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