免 means “exempt, release, dismiss”

めん · men

Also: excuse, dismissal

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading): まぬかれる, まぬがれる
On'yomi (Chinese reading): メン

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 8 strokes

The story

Picture a figure on two legs (儿) shrugging off a heavy hood: let off, set free. 免 is release from a duty or a ban: 免税 is tax-free, 免許 is the license that lets you drive, and 免除 is being excused altogether.

Used in 免許 (menkyo, license), 免税 (menzei, tax exemption), and 免除 (menjo, exemption)

免 means “exempt, release, dismiss”

The story

More from Courts & Trials