预告

• Pinyin: yù gào
• Hanzi breakdown: 预 = 予 + 页 (in advance); 告 = 牛 + 口 (ox + mouth — originally to report, announce)

Meaning

To announce in advance; a preview; a trailer; advance notice. Giving prior notification of something that is to come.

Used as both verb (预告某事 — to give advance notice of something) and noun (一则预告 — a preview/trailer). Common in media and entertainment (电影预告 — movie trailer, 节目预告 — programme preview) and in official contexts (预告公示期 — advance public notice period). Implies that the full thing is forthcoming and the preview is partial.

Examples

1. 这部奇幻电影的正式预告发布后24小时播放量破两亿，刷新了国产电影预告纪录。 Within 24 hours of its release, the official trailer for this fantasy film passed 200 million views, setting a new record for a domestic film trailer.
2. 气象局预告，强冷空气将使华北周末迎来入冬以来最强降雪，已启动四级应急响应。 The meteorological bureau forecast that a strong cold wave will bring North China its heaviest snowfall of the winter this weekend, and a level-four emergency response has been activated.
3. 在国际货币政策中，央行利率决策预告能提前传递信号，帮助稳定预期并减轻市场冲击。 In international monetary policy, advance notice of central bank interest-rate decisions can send signals early, helping to stabilize expectations and reduce market shocks.

Usage Guide

Context: media, entertainment, policy, weather

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这家公司常在发布会前数周放出预告，只透露少量视觉符号，把核心卖点留到当天揭晓。(This company often releases previews weeks before the launch event, revealing only a few visual cues and saving the core selling points for the day of the unveiling.)
• 重大行政许可前须有不少于三十个工作日的预告期。(Before major administrative licensing, there must be an advance notice period of at least thirty working days.)

Don't Say

• 预告他明天来 — 预告 is for announcing something to the public or a group, not informing a specific individual; use 提前告诉他 (tell him in advance) or 事先通知他 (notify him beforehand) for interpersonal notification

Origin & History

预 (in advance) + 告 (to announce/inform — 牛ox + 口mouth, originally: to report to superiors, to announce). Together: to announce/inform in advance.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal