広範囲

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: It is read こうはんい. 広 means broad and 範囲 a range or scope, forming a word for an extensive area or a broad field of coverage.
• Basic usage: It describes the area over which something spreads or the breadth of subjects covered. The example concerns taking action before pests spread widely.
  • 害虫が広範囲に広がる前に対策した。

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Geographic area and subject range
  • 広範囲に広がる describes how widely something spreads through an area.
  • In 広範囲にわたる話題, the range is topical, covering fields such as history and science rather than geographic space.