5 · Expressions (level 5)
So as not to: miǎnde, yǐmiǎn and shěngde
purpose clauses that avoid something
Three words that open a second clause and name the trouble the first clause is meant to avoid.
English says “so that … not”, “in order not to” or “so as to avoid”. Chinese packs the “not” into a single linking word at the head of the second clause. 免得 is the everyday one: 你早点儿走，免得迟到, “leave a bit earlier so you won’t be late”.
Because the “not” is already inside the word, the unwanted event that follows is stated plainly, without 不. 免 means “avoid, be spared”, so 免得迟到 is literally “so as to be spared being late”.
以免 does the same in writing. It is the word on notices, instructions and official letters: 请保管好个人物品，以免丢失, “please look after your belongings to prevent loss”. 省得 is colloquial and stresses the trouble saved — 省 is the “save” of 省钱.
All three stand at the head of the second clause and never open the sentence. To put the purpose first, use 为了不…: 为了不迟到，他六点就起床了.
The form
| so as not to (spoken) | 你早点儿走，免得迟到。 |
| so as not to (written) | 请保管好个人物品，以免丢失。 |
| saves the trouble of | 我直接告诉他，省得你再跑一趟。 |
| purpose first | 为了不迟到，他六点就起床了。 |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is about
All three open the second clause and name what the first clause is meant to prevent.
出门前看看天气，免得被雨淋。Check the weather before you go out, so you don’t get caught in the rain.
The unwanted event is stated plainly, without 不.
说话小声点儿，免得吵醒孩子。Keep your voice down so you don’t wake the child.
以免 is the written form, typical of notices and instructions.
请勿靠近车门，以免发生危险。Please keep clear of the doors to avoid danger.
省得 is colloquial and stresses the trouble saved.
我开车送你吧，省得你等公交车。I’ll drive you — it’ll save you waiting for the bus.
A closer look
Choosing between the three
A sign on a train or a line in an instruction leaflet says 以免. A parent telling a child to take a coat says 免得. A friend offering to do something for you, so that you can skip a chore, says 省得. 省得 works only when the thing avoided is a bother — a queue, an extra trip, a cost — and sounds odd before a real danger.
All three describe a purpose, so they sit naturally after a request, a suggestion or a decision. The first clause is what to do; the second is what that saves you from. This order is fixed: none of the three can move to the front of the sentence, which is where 为了 comes in.
How to spot it
- 免得
- 以免
- 省得
- 为了不…
Example sentences
把地址写下来，免得忘了。Write the address down so you don’t forget it.
你给妈妈打个电话，免得她担心。Give Mum a ring, so that she doesn’t worry.
药品请放在阴凉处，以免变质。Store medicines in a cool place to prevent them from spoiling.
我们今天把票买好，省得明天排队。Let’s buy the tickets today and save ourselves queueing tomorrow.
开会时请关掉手机，以免影响别人。Please switch off your phone during the meeting so as not to disturb others.
你就住在我家吧，省得花钱住酒店。Just stay at my place — it’ll save you paying for a hotel.
7 more example sentences
我提前出发，免得路上堵车。I’m setting off early so I don’t get stuck in traffic.
有问题就问，免得以后出错。Ask if you have a question, so you don’t make mistakes later.
请在截止日期前提交申请，以免影响审核。Please submit your application before the deadline, so as not to hold up the review.
雨天路滑，请慢行，以免摔倒。The ground is slippery in the rain; please go slowly to avoid falling.
你直接问他吧，省得大家乱猜。Just ask him directly, so nobody has to guess.
菜我已经买好了，省得你下班以后再去超市。I’ve already bought the groceries, to save you going to the supermarket after work.
把重要的文件备份一下，免得丢了。Back up important files so you don’t lose them.
Worth knowing (1)
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Wèile bù: the purpose up front
When the purpose should come first, the linking words cannot help, and Chinese uses 为了 with a plain negative. The meaning is the same; only the order of the two clauses changes.
为了不打扰别人，他戴上了耳机。So as not to disturb anyone, he put on headphones.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
English “so that you don’t catch cold” has a “not” in it, and learners carry it over. But 免得 already means “so as to avoid”: adding 不 turns the sentence into “so as to avoid not catching cold”. Name the trouble plainly.
Miǎnde, yǐmiǎn and shěngde already contain the “not” — name the trouble plainly after them.
Your turn
8 exercises on this topic. Your answers are checked in the browser; none of them leaves your device.