防～
ぼう～ · bou～ · JLPT N2 · noun
prevention
🛡️ 防 began as a dike holding back water, so 防~ means guarding against ~
A levee blocks floodwater before it arrives. 防災 is disaster prevention, and 防水 is waterproofing, which keeps water out.
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'.