防止 fángzhǐ to prevent
to prevent; to guard against; to take precautions
How to remember 防止: 防 to protect + 止 to stop = to prevent.
Characters
How it is used
- To prevent something bad from happening - 防止事故 (fángzhǐ shìgù) prevent accidents; 防止感染 (fángzhǐ gǎnrǎn) prevent infection.
- 防 (guard) + 止 (stop). Often takes a verb clause: 防止问题发生 (prevent problems from arising). Near 预防 (yùfáng), which leans more toward pre-emptive protection (disease, disaster).