Does ごめん really mean sorry?


Normally ごめんなさい is translated as sorry or excuse me, but that seems like a
translation for non-native speakers. In the same way, しつれいします can also be
translated as excuse me or pardon me. But it really means "I'm being rude".
So... what does ごめん really mean?




めん(免) in ごめん(御免) means 'forgiveness/to forgive', like in the verb '免ずる/免じる'
(which I think is the literary or archaic form of '許す'). なさい makes it
imperative, so ご免なさい literally means 'Please forgive (me)', like
免じてください/許してください.




めん(免) in ごめん(御免) means 'forgiveness/to forgive', like in the verb '免ずる/免じる'
(which I think is the literary or archaic form of '許す'). なさい makes it
imperative, so ご免なさい literally means 'Please forgive (me)', like
免じてください/許してください.

