免

miǎn, wèn

⑤ + 𠂊

HSK 3.0Level 6

Definitions

miǎn (verb) to exempt; to excuse; to avoid

miǎn (verb) to remove from office; to dismiss

Etymology

Pictograph of a person wearing a hat or a crown, now written as 冕. The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

About

免 began as a pictograph of a person wearing a hat or crown, a word now written 冕. The character was later borrowed purely for its sound to represent the unrelated meanings "to avoid", "to be exempt", or "to excuse from a duty", and these loan uses define it today.

Etymology Hide

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这个饮料是免费的。

Zhège yǐnliào shì miǎnfèi de.

This drink is free.

我们避免了交通事故。

Wǒmen bìmiǎnle jiāotōng shìgù.

We avoided a traffic accident.

他免除了我的职务。

Tā miǎnchúle wǒ de zhíwù.

He removed me from my position.

这家商店免税销售。

Zhè jiā shāngdiàn miǎnshuì xiāoshòu.

This shop sells goods tax-free.

产品免检进入市场。

Chǎnpǐn miǎnjiǎn jìnrù shìchǎng.

The products enter the market without inspection.

这种情况难以避免。

Zhè zhǒng qíngkuàng nányǐ bìmiǎn.

This kind of situation is hard to avoid.

他因故被免去校长职位。

Tā yīn gù bèi miǎnqù xiàozhǎng zhíwèi.

He was dismissed from the principal position for some reason.

免于起诉的决定令人惊讶。

Miǎnyú qǐsù de juédìng lìng rén jīngyà.

The decision to exempt from prosecution is surprising.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: ⑤

Component: 𠂊

Example Words