警告

• Pinyin: jǐng gào
• Hanzi breakdown: 警 = 敬 (respect) + 言 (speech); 告 = 牛 (cow) + 口 (mouth), originally depicting an announcement

Meaning

To warn; a warning. Used to caution someone about potential danger or consequences.

Can function as both a verb meaning to warn or admonish, and a noun referring to the warning itself. Common in formal contexts like official notices, legal documents, and disciplinary actions. Also used informally to caution friends or family.

Examples

1. 医生警告他必须戒烟，否则病情会恶化。 The doctor warned him that he must quit smoking, otherwise his condition would worsen.
2. 公司已经发出警告，要求员工不要泄露商业机密。 The company has issued a warning requiring employees not to disclose business secrets.
3. 这次只是警告，下次再犯就要开除了。 This is just a warning; next time you will be fired.

Usage Guide

Context: workplace, legal, health, everyday

Tone: serious

Do Say

• 我警告过你不要这样做。(I warned you not to do this.)
• 这是最后一次警告。(This is the final warning.)

Don't Say

• 我警告你明天天气很好。(Don't use 警告 for neutral information — use 告诉 instead; 警告 implies danger or consequences)

Origin & History

警 (jǐng, alert/warn) + 告 (gào, tell/inform). The combination conveys the meaning of alerting someone by telling them about potential problems.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal