miǎnfèi: 免费 - Free (of charge), Gratis

• Keywords: mianfei, 免费, free in Chinese, free of charge, gratis, free trial Chinese, free shipping Chinese, Chinese word for free, learn Chinese, HSK 3 vocabulary
• Summary: Discover the meaning of 免费 (miǎnfèi), the essential Chinese word for 'free of charge'. This comprehensive guide explains how to use 免费 for everything from free shipping and trials to free gifts in modern China. Learn the cultural nuances, character origins, and practical examples to avoid common mistakes, like confusing it with 'freedom', and understand when something is truly 'free' in a Chinese context.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): miǎnfèi
• Part of Speech: Adjective / Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 3
• Concise Definition: To be free of charge; to not require payment.
• In a Nutshell: 免费 (miǎnfèi) is your go-to word when something costs no money. It's the “free” you see on promotional signs, online checkout pages for shipping, and at the entrance of a park on a special day. It specifically refers to the absence of a fee and is completely unrelated to the concept of freedom or liberty. If you're not paying money for it, it's probably 免费.

• 免 (miǎn): This character's original form resembled a person taking off a headdress, which evolved to mean “to avoid,” “to excuse from,” or “to exempt.” Think of it as being “excused” from a duty or obligation.
• 费 (fèi): This character means “fee,” “cost,” or “expense.” It’s composed of 弗 (a phonetic component) and 贝 (bèi), the character for “shell.” Since shells were used as an early form of currency in ancient China, 贝 is a common component in characters related to money and value.
• By combining these two, 免费 (miǎnfèi) literally means “to be excused from the fee.” This is a very direct and logical construction that perfectly captures the modern meaning of “free of charge.”

The concept of 免费 is a powerful force in Chinese commerce and daily life, perhaps even more so than in the West. While the Western saying “there's no such thing as a free lunch” also exists in Chinese (天下没有免费的午餐, tiānxià méiyǒu miǎnfèi de wǔcān), the allure of something for free is a cornerstone of modern marketing in China. In the West, a “freebie” might be met with skepticism. In China, it's often an expected and highly effective part of a transaction. For example, receiving a 赠品 (zèngpǐn), or a “free gift with purchase,” is extremely common and can be the deciding factor for a consumer. The rise of e-commerce has made terms like 包邮 (bāoyóu), or “free shipping,” a standard expectation. The 免费 model is also the backbone of China's massive digital economy. Many apps, games, and services are free to download and use, following a “freemium” model. They hook users with a 免费 entry point, aiming to later monetize them through in-app purchases, advertisements, or premium subscriptions. So, while something might be 免费 upfront, it's often a strategic move to get you into a larger commercial ecosystem.

免费 can function as both an adjective (a free thing) and a verb (to provide for free). It's used everywhere from street markets to sophisticated online platforms.

• In E-commerce: You will constantly see 免费送货 (miǎnfèi sònghuò) or 包邮 (bāoyóu) for “free shipping.” This is a major selling point.
• In Marketing: Look for 免费试用 (miǎnfèi shìyòng) for a “free trial” of a product or service, or 免费品尝 (miǎnfèi pǐncháng) for a “free tasting” at a food stall.
• At Venues: A sign saying 免费入场 (miǎnfèi rùchǎng) means “free admission” to a park, museum, or event.
• In Services: Many businesses offer a 免费咨询 (miǎnfèi zīxún), or “free consultation,” to attract clients. Hotels and cafés will advertise 免费WiFi (miǎnfèi WiFi).

• Example 1:
  • 这家网店所有商品都免费送货。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā wǎngdiàn suǒyǒu shāngpǐn dōu miǎnfèi sònghuò.
  • English: This online store provides free shipping for all its products.
  • Analysis: A very common and practical sentence in the age of online shopping. Here, 免费 functions as an adverb modifying the verb “to ship” (送货).
• Example 2:
  • 你可以先免费试用我们的软件三十天。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ kěyǐ xiān miǎnfèi shìyòng wǒmen de ruǎnjiàn sānshí tiān.
  • English: You can first have a free trial of our software for thirty days.
  • Analysis: 免费试用 (miǎnfèi shìyòng) is a set phrase for “free trial.” It's a key term in the software and services industry.
• Example 3:
  • 请问，这个是免费的吗？
  • Pinyin: Qǐngwèn, zhège shì miǎnfèi de ma?
  • English: Excuse me, is this free?
  • Analysis: A fundamental question for any learner. Using 是…的 (shì…de) turns the adjective 免费 into a noun phrase (“a free one”).
• Example 4:
  • 今天公园免费向公众开放。
  • Pinyin: Jīntiān gōngyuán miǎnfèi xiàng gōngzhòng kāifàng.
  • English: The park is open to the public for free today.
  • Analysis: This shows 免费 used in the context of public access and events.
• Example 5:
  • 我们的酒店为客人提供免费早餐。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen de jiǔdiàn wèi kèrén tígōng miǎnfèi zǎocān.
  • English: Our hotel provides free breakfast for guests.
  • Analysis: Here, 免费 acts as an adjective describing the breakfast (早餐).
• Example 6:
  • 买一送一，第二个是免费的。
  • Pinyin: Mǎi yī sòng yī, dì èr ge shì miǎnfèi de.
  • English: Buy one get one free, the second one is free.
  • Analysis: This clarifies the common “BOGO” promotion. While the slogan is 买一送一, this sentence explains the logic behind it.
• Example 7:
  • 下载这个App是免费的，但是里面有些功能要收费。
  • Pinyin: Xiàzài zhège App shì miǎnfèi de, dànshì lǐmiàn yǒuxiē gōngnéng yào shōufèi.
  • English: Downloading this app is free, but some features inside require payment.
  • Analysis: This sentence perfectly illustrates the “freemium” model and highlights the contrast between 免费 and 收费 (shōufèi), “to charge a fee.”
• Example 8:
  • 这里有免费的地图可以拿。
  • Pinyin: Zhèlǐ yǒu miǎnfèi de dìtú kěyǐ ná.
  • English: There are free maps here that you can take.
  • Analysis: A helpful phrase for tourists. 免费的 (miǎnfèi de) + Noun is a standard structure.
• Example 9:
  • 对不起，停车不免费。
  • Pinyin: Duìbuqǐ, tíngchē bù miǎnfèi.
  • English: Sorry, parking is not free.
  • Analysis: A simple but important negation. 不 (bù) is placed directly before 免费.
• Example 10:
  • 记住，天下没有免费的午餐。
  • Pinyin: Jìzhù, tiānxià méiyǒu miǎnfèi de wǔcān.
  • English: Remember, there's no such thing as a free lunch in this world.
  • Analysis: This is a famous proverb, used to remind someone to be wary of things that seem too good to be true.

The single most important mistake for English speakers to avoid is confusing 免费 (miǎnfèi) with 自由 (zìyóu). They both translate to “free” in English, but they are not interchangeable.

• 免费 (miǎnfèi): “Free” as in zero cost; gratis. It's about money.
  • Correct: 免费啤酒 (miǎnfèi píjiǔ) - Free beer.
• 自由 (zìyóu): “Free” as in liberty, freedom, unrestricted. It's about rights and lack of constraints.
  • Correct: 言论自由 (yánlùn zìyóu) - Freedom of speech.

Example of a Common Mistake:

• Incorrect: 在美国，我们有免费的言论。 (Zài Měiguó, wǒmen yǒu miǎnfèi de yánlùn.)
• Why it's wrong: This sentence literally means “In the US, we have speech that costs no money,” which is nonsensical.
• Correct: 在美国，我们有言论自由。 (Zài Měiguó, wǒmen yǒu yánlùn zìyóu.)

Think of it this way: If you can replace “free” with “free of charge” or “gratis” in your English sentence, the correct Chinese word is 免费. If you can replace it with “liberty” or “freedom,” the word is 自由.

• 自由 (zìyóu) - “Free” in the sense of liberty or freedom. The most crucial term to distinguish from 免费.
• 收费 (shōufèi) - To charge a fee. The direct antonym of 免费.
• 优惠 (yōuhuì) - A discount, special offer, or preferential price. It means cheaper, but not completely free.
• 打折 (dǎzhé) - To give a discount. A more specific action related to lowering the price.
• 赠品 (zèngpǐn) - A free gift that comes with a purchase. A very common form of 免费 item.
• 包邮 (bāoyóu) - A popular e-commerce term meaning “free shipping included.” A specific application of 免费.
• 试用 (shìyòng) - To have a trial use. Often paired with 免费 to mean “free trial.”
• 价格 (jiàgé) - Price. The concept that 免费 negates.