予防接種

• Reading: よぼうせっしゅ
• Romaji: yobou sesshu
• Kanji breakdown: 予防 (yobou) — prevention; 接種 (sesshu) — inoculation, vaccination
• Pronunciation: /jo.boː.se.ɕɯ/

Meaning

Vaccination; immunisation; inoculation. The administration of a vaccine to stimulate immunity against a specific disease.

A noun combining 予防 (prevention) and 接種 (inoculation). Japan has a national vaccination programme, and 定期接種 (routine vaccination) and 任意接種 (voluntary vaccination) are legally distinct categories. 予防接種を受ける (to receive a vaccination) is the standard verb phrase. The term is used both for childhood vaccination schedules and for annual influenza shots.

Examples

1. 毎年秋になると、インフルエンザの予防接種を受けに医院へ行く。 Every fall, I go to the clinic to get a flu vaccination.
2. 子どもへの予防接種は、感染症から守るために欠かせない公衆衛生対策だ。 Vaccinating children is an essential public health measure for protecting them from infectious diseases.
3. 海外渡航前に必要な予防接種を確認し、出発前に接種を済ませた。 I checked which vaccinations were needed before traveling abroad and got them before departure.

Usage Guide

Context: medicine, public health, preventive care, travel health, paediatrics

Tone: neutral, practical

Origin & History

Sino-Japanese compound: 予防 (yobou) means prevention, from 予 (anticipate) and 防 (defend/prevent). 接種 (sesshu) means inoculation, from 接 (connect/apply) and 種 (seed/type). The term reflects the medical practice of introducing a weakened pathogen to build immunity, formalised in Japanese public health law.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal