免于 (miǎn yú) — to avoid, to avert (something undesirable)

Definition

免于 means 'to escape / be spared from' something bad — narrower than 避免, which means 'to avoid' through one's own action. Here, bad things are averted for you, not by you.

verb
to avoidto avert (something undesirable)
Easily confused

Examples

  • ，免于。
    Zài zhè cì shì gù zhōng, tā xìng yùn dì miǎn yú zāi nàn.
    In this accident, he was lucky to avoid disaster.
  • ，免于。
    Yóu yú zhèng jù bù zú, xián yí rén miǎn yú qǐ sù.
    Due to insufficient evidence, the suspect avoided prosecution.
  • 免于。
    Liáng hǎo de fáng hù cuò shī néng bāng zhù gōng rén miǎn yú shāng hài.
    Good protective measures help workers avoid injury.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

免miǎnavoid
于yúfrom

免 means avoid, and 于 has the sense from, so 免于 suggests being spared from something.

Characters in this word

A 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.

Open 免 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 一一yīflat stream of air
  • 丂丂kǎoto exhale

The old shape of 于 may have pictured an ancient wind instrument. Another explanation reads 一 as a flat stream of air and 丂 as an exhaling mark.

Open 于 →

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