予防
よぼう · yobou · JLPT N3 · noun
prevention
🛡️💉 予防 = in advance (予) + defend (防): defending before it happens
予 means in advance, as in 予約 (reservation) and 予定 (plan). 防 means defend or guard, as in 防衛 (defence). Defending in advance is prevention, and a vaccination is 予防接種.
防 — mound radical 阝(阜) + 方 fāng (phonetic)
防 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The left element 阝 (from 阜) depicts a mound or earthen embankment, suggesting barriers and defense. The right element 方 supplies the sound. Together they evoke a dike or rampart that guards against floods or attacks, hence 'to guard, prevent, defend'.