防患未然

fánghuàn-wèirán

idiom

Meanings

做好消防检查，才能防患未然。

Zuòhǎo xiāofáng jiǎnchá, cáinéng fánghuànwèirán.

Only by thoroughly inspecting fire safety can we head off trouble in advance.

与其事后补救，不如防患未然。

Yǔqí shìhòu bǔjiù, bùrú fánghuànwèirán.

Rather than mopping up afterward, better to guard against trouble before it starts.

我们要防患未然，提前制定应急预案。

Wǒmen yào fánghuànwèirán, tíqián zhìdìng yìngjíyù'àn.

We need to get ahead of the problem and draw up contingency plans in advance.

history

Roots in 《周易·既济》 — '君子以思患而豫防之' — and 《乐府诗集·君子行》 — '君子防未然.' The 未然 means 'not-yet-so' — that is, before the trouble actually arises.

Formal — safety notices, policy documents, management writing. In casual speech, 提前预防 or 早做准备 carries the same sense.

防 fáng

患 huàn

未 wèi

然 rán