免除（めんじょ、menjo）
- exemption

The Japanese word 免除 (めんじょ) means to exempt, excuse, or waive something. It signifies the act of releasing someone from an obligation, requirement, or penalty. This can apply to various contexts, such as taxes, fees, duties, or even punishments. The key idea is to remove a burden or requirement. 免除 often implies a formal or official decision to provide such relief.

⚫︎税金の免除 Translation: Tax exemption ⚫︎授業料の免除 Translation: Tuition waiver ⚫︎罰金の免除 Translation: Exemption from a fine

You would use 免除 when talking about being released from a specific duty or obligation. It's often used in formal or official contexts, such as government notices, legal documents, or educational institution communications. You would typically use this word when a person or organization has been formally excused from something.

The word is typically written with the kanji 免 (men) which means "to excuse, to exempt" and 除 (jo) which means "to remove, to eliminate". The reading is めんじょ in hiragana. There are no other common ways to write this word. The okurigana is standard, with no variations.

⚫︎減免 (げんめん) - Reduction or exemption (often for financial obligations) ⚫︎猶予 (ゆうよ) - Deferment, postponement (temporarily excusing something) ⚫︎除外 (じょがい) - Exclusion (removing something from a set or rule)

⚫︎課す (かす) - To impose, to levy (e.g., taxes) ⚫︎義務 (ぎむ) - Obligation, duty ⚫︎責任 (せきにん) - Responsibility, duty

彼は奨学金を得て、授業料の免除を受けました。 ・Translation: He received a scholarship and was granted a tuition waiver. ・Explanation: This sentence illustrates the use of 免除 to describe being excused from paying tuition fees because of a scholarship.

災害の被害者は税金の免除を受けることができます。 ・Translation: Victims of the disaster can receive a tax exemption. ・Explanation: This example shows how 免除 is used in the context of disaster relief, where people may be excused from paying taxes due to hardship.

The word 免除 is a compound word. 免 comes from Chinese, meaning "to avoid" or "to escape," and 除 also comes from Chinese, meaning "to eliminate" or "to remove." Combined, they create the meaning of freeing someone from an obligation or requirement.