Definition
提防 (dī fang) means 'to be on guard against' an immediate or likely danger, deception, or accident — it emphasizes staying alert in the moment. It is more specific than the general 防 (fáng 'to prevent') and more colloquial than 防范 (fáng fàn 'to guard against'), which is used in formal or written contexts. Note the pronunciation dī fang (not tí fáng).
verb
to guard againstto be on alert for (danger, deception, etc.)
Easily confused
- 地方dì fangsound-alikeplace, location, area
- 地方dì fāngsound-alikeregion, locality (as opposed to the central government)
Examples
- 提防。Wàichū lǚxíng shí yào dī fang gè zhǒng piàn jú.When traveling, guard against various scams.
- 提防。Kāichē shí yào dī fang xíngrén tūrán héngchuān mǎlù.When driving, watch out for pedestrians suddenly crossing the road.
- 提防，。Nǐ dī fang zhe diǎnr, bié ràng tāmen zuān le kòngzi.Be on guard, don't let them take advantage of loopholes.
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