How to Write 免 (miǎn) — Meaning “to exempt, to avoid, to excuse”

Imagine a rabbit (兔 without the dot) running away to avoid being caught—免 sounds like "me-ann" and looks like a rabbit missing its tail. The top part (儿) is like two ears, and the bottom is the rabbit’s body dashing off. This visual of a rabbit escaping helps you remember the meaning of "to avoid" or "to exempt."

Write the top hook (⺈) first, then the two horizontal strokes and the vertical stroke inside, followed by the bottom radical 儿 (a left stroke and a right hook). The overall shape is tall and narrow; a common mistake is making the bottom 儿 too wide or forgetting the hook on the final stroke. Keep the center vertical stroke straight and the sides balanced.

免 (miǎn) means "to avoid" and has a hooked top with a 儿 bottom, while 兄 (xiōng) means "elder brother" and is simply 口 on top of 儿 without any hook. 充 (chōng) means "to fill" and has a ㇀ (horizontal) plus 允 structure, not the hooked top of 免. Visually, 免’s top part is like a hat or a rabbit’s head, whereas 兄 has a flat mouth shape and 充 has a horizontal line under the top.

免 appears in common words like 免费 (free of charge) and 避免 (to avoid), so it’s useful in everyday situations such as shopping or giving warnings. In Chinese culture, saying 免礼 (miǎn lǐ) is a polite phrase used by an emperor or host to tell guests they don’t need to bow or be overly formal. This character carries a sense of relief or saving trouble, which is why it’s often seen on signs like 免票 (free admission).

Common words containing 免 include: 免费 (miǎn fèi) — free of charge; 避免 (bì miǎn) — to avoid / to prevent; 免礼 (miǎn lǐ) — dispense with formalities, you may rise.