(bì miǎn) - to avoid, to prevent, to refrain from in Mandarin
bìmiǎnTraditional: 避免
Translation
to avoid, to prevent, to refrain from
Word origin
A compound of 避 (bì, to dodge or keep away from) and 免 (miǎn, to spare or exempt), together the sense of keeping something from happening.
- Origin
- compound
- Root
- 避 (bì, to dodge) + 免 (miǎn, to spare)
Stroke order
避
免
Examples
。
We should avoid mistakes like this.
，。
To avoid trouble, he said nothing at all.
。
This accident could have been avoided.
。
When driving you must avoid looking at your phone.
。
This problem is hard to avoid.
避免 (bì miǎn) is to head something off before it can happen: a mistake, an accident, a delay, an argument. It is a slightly formal verb, at home in writing, safety notices and careful speech.
What follows it is an event, not a thing and not a person. You avoid 错误, 危险, 麻烦, 战争, or a whole clause such as 避免孩子受伤. That clause pattern is worth drilling, because English tends to reach for a noun where Mandarin happily takes a small sentence.
The trap is using 避免 for dodging a person. 避免他 sounds like preventing him from occurring. If you want to stay out of a person's way, use 躲 or 躲开, and if you want to keep clear of a place use 不去 or 绕开.
Where this fits
Add to review queue
Track this word in your spaced-repetition queue and be tested on it at the right interval.
Go to my review queueMandarin · Free printables
避免: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the Mandarin word "避免" (to avoid, to prevent, to refrain from): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
Free for members
The printable worksheets, infographics and PDFs are free with an account. Start a free week and download as many as you like.
Start your free weekThis word is part of lesson 53.