no penalty; no punishment; acquittal; impunity
Used when someone escapes blame, punishment, or negative consequences, often in informal or conversational contexts. The お prefix adds a polite or softening tone.
Even though I was late, I got off without any reprimand.
They let this mistake slide without any punishment.
Standard kanji-kana mixed spelling.
Variant with 無し for なし; slightly more formal or emphatic.
From お (honorific prefix) + 咎め (blame, reprimand) + なし (without). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the phrase is a fixed expression meaning 'without blame'.