予報

• Reading: よほう
• Romaji: yohou
• Kanji breakdown: 予 (yo) — beforehand, in advance; 報 (hō) — report, inform
• Pronunciation: /jo.hoː/

Meaning

Forecast; prediction. An official announcement about future conditions, especially weather.

A noun that also functions as a suru verb (予報する). Most commonly used for weather forecasts (天気予報). Also applies to other official forecasts like pollen counts (花粉予報) and earthquake warnings (地震予報). More official and broadcast-oriented than 予測 or 予想.

Examples

1. 天気予報では明日は晴れるらしい。 The weather forecast says it'll be sunny tomorrow.
2. 予報どおり午後から雪が降り始めた。 Just as the forecast predicted, it started snowing in the afternoon.
3. 台風の進路を予報するのは難しい。 Forecasting the path of a typhoon is difficult.

Usage Guide

Context: weather, news, daily life

Tone: informational

Origin & History

Compound of 予 (yo, in advance/beforehand) and 報 (hō, report/inform). Literally 'reporting in advance' — delivering news about future events.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal