HSK 8
未免: A Softened Objection in Chinese
未免 marks a speaker's softened negative evaluation: a situation seems excessive, inappropriate, or short of what is expected. It commonly precedes degree phrases such as 太, 过于, 有些, 不够, or 不太, but none is mandatory in every sentence. Unlike 难免, it evaluates rather than predicts an unavoidable outcome.
STRUCTURE
Subject + 未免 + 太/过于/有些 + Predicate
When to use 未免 — and when not
Use it when
- To soften criticism of an excessive situation: 这个价格未免太高了。
- To signal that an action seems inappropriate or unfair: 把所有责任都推给他，未免不太公平。
- To calibrate the evaluation: 过于, 有些, 不大, and 不够 can follow 未免 directly, while 一点 follows the predicate as in 未免早了一点。
Don't use it when
- For an outcome that is hard to avoid; that meaning belongs to 难免 rather than the evaluative 未免.
- Do not require 太 or another degree marker in every sentence. They are frequent partners, not an exceptionless frame.
- Do not treat every sentence containing 未免 as a grammar error merely because the criticism is subjective or context-dependent.
Right vs. wrong
这个价格未免了太高。
这个价格未免太高了。
The aspect particle 了 is inserted before the degree phrase
未免 directly scopes over the evaluation 太高. The aspect or change-of-state particle 了 cannot split the adverb from that phrase; it belongs after 太高 here.
这个价格太未免高了。
这个价格未免太高了。
太 is placed before the modal adverb 未免
未免 evaluates the whole degree phrase 太高, so it comes first. Reversing the two adverbs as 太未免 breaks that scope and word order.
Examples
这个价格未免太高了。
Zhège jiàgé wèimiǎn tài gāo le.
This price seems rather too high.
你这样批评新人，未免有些严厉。
Nǐ zhèyàng pīpíng xīnrén, wèimiǎn yǒuxiē yánlì.
Criticizing a newcomer this way seems a little harsh.
把所有责任都推给他，未免不太公平。
Bǎ suǒyǒu zérèn dōu tuī gěi tā, wèimiǎn bú tài gōngpíng.
Putting all the responsibility on him hardly seems fair.
只看一次结果就下结论，未免过于草率。
Zhǐ kàn yí cì jiéguǒ jiù xià jiélùn, wèimiǎn guòyú cǎoshuài.
Drawing a conclusion from one result seems overly hasty.
会议刚开始就要求表决，未免早了一点。
Huìyì gāng kāishǐ jiù yāoqiú biǎojué, wèimiǎn zǎo le yìdiǎn.
Calling for a vote as soon as the meeting starts seems a little early.
这份说明写得未免不够清楚。
Zhè fèn shuōmíng xiě de wèimiǎn bù gòu qīngchu.
This explanation seems insufficiently clear.
Common mistakes
这个价格未免了太高。
Zhège jiàgé wèimiǎn le tài gāo.
Do not put 了 between 未免 and 太高. Say 这个价格未免太高了。
这个价格太未免高了。
Zhège jiàgé tài wèimiǎn gāo le.
Put 未免 before the degree phrase 太高: 这个价格未免太高了。
Think you've got it?
Write your own 未免 sentence and check that grammar point first.
未免: A Softened Objection FAQ
What does 未免 mean in Chinese?
It presents a situation as excessive, inappropriate, or below expectation while softening the objection. The judgment still comes from the speaker, even when the tone sounds restrained.
What is the difference between 未免 and 难免?
未免 evaluates a situation negatively: 这样做未免太草率. 难免 predicts that an unwanted result is difficult to avoid: 第一次上台难免紧张.
Must 未免 be followed by 太?
No. 过于, 有些, 不大, and 不够 can follow 未免 directly. 一点 has a different position: it follows the predicate in a form such as 未免早了一点, not 未免一点早.