免 (miǎn) — to exempt; to excuse (from a duty or obligation); to dismiss; to remove (from a position); to avoid; to avert (something undesirable)
Definition
免 (miǎn) is a formal verb for officially excusing someone from a duty or removing them from a post. Unlike 原谅 (forgive a person), 免 removes an obligation or office; 比 避免 (avoid) more formal and used with 〜职 / 〜税 compounds.
verb
to exemptto excuse (from a duty or obligation)to dismissto remove (from a position)to avoidto avert (something undesirable)
Easily confused
Examples
- 免。Xué xiào miǎn le tā de xué fèi.The school exempted his tuition fees.
- 免Gōng sī miǎn le tā de zhíThe company removed him from his position.
- Wǒ men bì miǎn le zhè chǎng chōng tūWe avoided this conflict.
Origin
Pictograph六书liùshū
象形xiàngxíngA drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.
免 originally drew a man wearing a ceremonial hat. It was later used for meanings such as avoid and exempt.
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