防患未然

fánghuàn-wèirán

idiom

Meanings

HSK 5

做好消防检查，才能防患未然。

Zuòhǎo xiāofáng jiǎnchá, cáinéng fánghuàn-wèirán.

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

HSK 7-9

与其事后补救，不如防患未然。

Yǔqí shìhòu bǔjiù, bùrú fánghuàn-wèirán.

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

HSK 7-9

我们要防患未然，提前制定应急预案。

Wǒmen yào fánghuàn-wèirán, tíqián zhìdìng yìngjí yù'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