Inevitably / can't help but (不免)

Structure premise，(subject) + 不免 + reaction / consequence

不免 (bùmiǎn) marks a consequence or reaction that arises naturally and inevitably from what was just said: «one can't help but…, inevitably…». 久别重逢，不免感慨万千 = «meeting again after so long, one can't help but be overwhelmed with feeling». Unlike 难免 (HSK 5), which judges that something bad «is hard to avoid», 不免 describes an effect that actually occurs, almost always a feeling or reaction; and unlike 未免, it carries no reproach. It is written register and usually opens the second clause after a premise.

Examples

久jiǔ别bié重chóng逢féng，不bù免miǎn感gǎn慨kǎi万wàn千qiān。
Meeting again after so long, one can't help but be overwhelmed with feeling.
听tīng到dào这zhè个ge消xiāo息xi，他tā不bù免miǎn有yǒu些xiē失shī望wàng。
On hearing the news, he couldn't help feeling somewhat disappointed.
初chū到dào异yì乡xiāng，不bù免miǎn有yǒu几jǐ分fēn孤gū独dú。
Newly arrived in a foreign land, one inevitably feels a touch of loneliness.
面miàn对duì如rú此cǐ场chǎng面miàn，众zhòng人rén不bù免miǎn动dòng容róng。
Faced with such a scene, the onlookers couldn't help but be moved.

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