‘预览’ (yù lǎn) literally combines ‘预’ (yù), meaning ‘in advance’ or ‘pre-’, and ‘览’ (lǎn), meaning ‘to view’ or ‘to inspect’. Together, it means ‘preview’—the act of viewing something briefly before finalizing, publishing, or committing to it. It’s widely used in digital contexts, such as software interfaces, document editing, web design, and media production.

This word functions both as a noun (e.g., ‘点击预览’ — ‘click preview’) and as a verb (e.g., ‘预览文件’ — ‘preview the file’). While it can occasionally appear in non-digital settings (e.g., previewing a speech draft), its dominant usage is technological and procedural. It implies temporary, non-binding examination—not full interaction or final output—and often appears as a labeled button or menu option in Chinese-language apps and websites.