难免

nán miǎn

hard to avoid

HSK 6

漢字分解

Meaning and Usage

The word "难免" (nánmiǎn) means "hard to avoid" or "inevitable." It is often used to express that certain negative outcomes or situations are likely or unavoidable given the circumstances.

Common Contexts

"难免" frequently appears in contexts discussing difficulties, mistakes, failures, or negative feelings that naturally arise. It implies a sense of resignation or acceptance that some things cannot be completely prevented.

Collocations and Patterns

  • 工作压力难免…… (With heavy work pressure, it's hard to avoid...): used to describe inevitable consequences of stress.
  • 错误难免 (Making mistakes is hard to avoid): a common phrase to acknowledge human fallibility.
  • 失败难免 (Failure is hard to avoid): often used in competitive or challenging situations.

Nuance and Register

"难免" carries a neutral to slightly formal tone and is suitable for both spoken and written Chinese. It often conveys a pragmatic acceptance rather than complaint.

Common Confusion

Do not confuse "难免" with "避免" (bìmiǎn), which means "to avoid." "难免" states that something is hard to avoid or inevitable, while "避免" focuses on actively avoiding something.

例文

工作压力大,难免会感到疲惫。

Gōngzuò yālì dà, nánmiǎn huì gǎndào píbèi.

With heavy work pressure, it's hard to avoid feeling tired.

犯错误是难免的,重要的是从中吸取教训。

Fàn cuòwù shì nánmiǎn de, zhòngyào de shì cóng zhōng xīqǔ jiàoxun.

Making mistakes is hard to avoid; what matters is learning from them.

在激烈的竞争中,失败是难免的。

Zài jīliè de jìngzhēng zhōng, shībài shì nánmiǎn de.

In fierce competition, failure is hard to avoid.