不免
HSK 6- Emphasis
Structure (结构 jiégòu)
Meaning (意思 yìsi)
不免 is used to express an unavoidable result arising from some cause.
Explanation (解释 jiěshì)
Adverb 不免 (bùmiǎn) means "unavoidably" or "cannot help but." It is used to indicate that, due to some previously occurring cause, a result (usually undesirable or emotional in nature) is natural and inevitable. It carries a slightly more formal register than 难免.
Examples (例句 lìjù)(5)
- 看到老照片，不免有些伤感。繁: 看到老照片，不免有些傷感。Kàn dào lǎo zhàopiàn, bùmiǎn yǒuxiē shānggǎn.
Seeing the old photographs, I couldn't help but feel a bit melancholic.
- 年轻人经验少，不免会犯错。繁: 年輕人經驗少，不免會犯錯。Niánqīng rén jīngyàn shǎo, bùmiǎn huì fàncuò.
Young people with little experience inevitably make mistakes.
- 两个人意见不同，不免争论。繁: 兩個人意見不同，不免爭論。Liǎng ge rén yìjiàn bùtóng, bùmiǎn zhēnglùn.
When two people have different opinions, arguments are inevitable.
- 第一次上台，他不免有点紧张。繁: 第一次上臺，他不免有點緊張。Dì yī cì shàngtái, tā bùmiǎn yǒudiǎn jǐnzhāng.
The first time he took the stage, he couldn't help but feel a bit nervous.
- 听到这个消息，心里不免难过。繁: 聽到這個消息，心裡不免難過。Tīng dào zhège xiāoxi, xīnli bùmiǎn nánguò.
Upon hearing this news, my heart could not help but feel sad.
Common mistakes
- Wrong:第一次上台，他不能紧张。Correct:第一次上台，他不免紧张。
不能 means "cannot" (regarding ability or permission), while 不免 expresses an emotion of "unavoidable" or "hard to avoid" due to circumstances.
- Wrong:他紧张不免。Correct:他不免紧张。
不免 is an adverb and must come before the verb or adjective it modifies; it cannot come after.