前兆

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 前兆(ぜんちょう) means a sign that appears before an event.
• Basic usage: It connects an earlier change with something that follows, such as a storm or illness.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• More explicitly prior than 兆候
  • 兆候(ちょうこう) broadly refers to an indication of a condition. 前兆 more explicitly places the sign before the event that follows.