Usage note
预防是提前做事情来避免不好的事情发生。
Yùfáng shì tíqián zuò shìqíng lái bìmiǎn bù hǎo de shìqíng fāshēng.
Prevent is to do things in advance to avoid bad things from happening.
Context note
预防可以指预防生病、预防事故或者预防火灾。
Yùfáng kěyǐ zhǐ yùfáng shēngbìng, yùfáng shìgù huòzhě yùfáng huǒzāi.
Prevent can refer to preventing illness, accidents, or fires.
5 examples
洗手可以预防生病。
xǐ shǒu kě yǐ yù fáng shēng bìng。
Washing hands can prevent illness.
戴头盔可以预防受伤。
dài tóu kuī kě yǐ yù fáng shòu shāng。
Wearing a helmet can prevent injury.
打疫苗可以预防疾病。
dǎ yì miáo kě yǐ yù fáng jí bìng。
Getting vaccinated can prevent disease.
不乱跑可以预防摔倒。
bú luàn pǎo kě yǐ yù fáng shuāi dǎo。
Not running around can prevent falls.
关好门窗可以预防小偷。
guān hǎo mén chuāng kě yǐ yù fáng xiǎo tōu。
Closing doors and windows can prevent thieves.
5 mini stories
小红每天刷牙预防蛀牙。她的牙齿很白。
xiǎo hóng měi tiān shuā yá yù fáng zhù yá。 tā de yá chǐ hěn bái。
Xiao Hong brushes her teeth every day to prevent cavities. Her teeth are very white.
小明吃水果预防感冒。他很少生病。
xiǎo míng chī shuǐ guǒ yù fáng gǎn mào。 tā hěn shǎo shēng bìng。
Xiao Ming eats fruit to prevent colds. He rarely gets sick.
小丽运动预防肥胖。她每天跑步。
xiǎo lì yùn dòng yù fáng féi pàng。 tā měi tiān pǎo bù。
Xiao Li exercises to prevent obesity. She runs every day.
小刚喝水预防头痛。他记得多喝水。
xiǎo gāng hē shuǐ yù fáng tóu tòng。 tā jì de duō hē shuǐ。
Xiao Gang drinks water to prevent headaches. He remembers to drink plenty.
小华早睡预防疲劳。他精神很好。
xiǎo huá zǎo shuì yù fáng pí láo。 tā jīng shén hěn hǎo。
Xiao Hua sleeps early to prevent fatigue. He is very energetic.
Mini dialogue
预防感冒
A
冬天怎么预防感冒？
Dōngtiān zěnme yùfáng gǎnmào?
How to prevent colds in winter?
B
多穿衣服，勤洗手。
Duō chuān yīfu, qín xǐshǒu.
Wear more clothes and wash hands often.
预防蛀牙
A
怎样预防蛀牙？
Zěnyàng yùfáng zhùyá?
How to prevent cavities?
B
每天刷牙，少吃糖。
Měitiān shuāyá, shǎo chī táng.
Brush teeth every day and eat less candy.
Related words and contrasts
similar
防止
fáng zhǐ
prevent
Both mean to stop something bad from happening; 预防 emphasizes taking measures in advance.
contrast
治疗
zhì liáo
treat
预防 is prevention; 治疗 is treatment after something happens.
related
保护
bǎo hù
protect
预防 is a way to 保护 (protect) someone from harm.