自学

• Pinyin: zì xué
• Hanzi breakdown: 自 = self; 学 = 子 (child) under 臼 representing hands teaching, meaning to learn

Meaning

To self-study; to teach oneself; to learn independently without formal instruction.

Describes learning a skill, subject, or language through one's own efforts rather than formal education or tutoring. Highly valued in Chinese culture as a sign of initiative and self-discipline. Common in phrases like 自学成才 (self-taught and successful).

Examples

1. 她完全是自学编程的，从来没有上过任何培训班，现在已经是公司的技术骨干。 She taught herself programming entirely — never took any training courses — and is now a technical backbone of the company.
2. 很多人选择自学外语是因为网上有丰富的免费资源可以利用。 Many people choose to self-study foreign languages because there are abundant free resources available online.
3. 自学需要很强的自律能力，否则很容易半途而废。 Self-study requires strong self-discipline; otherwise, it's easy to give up halfway.

Usage Guide

Context: education, career, personal development

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 我自学了日语。(I taught myself Japanese.)
• 他是自学成才的。(He's self-taught and successful.)

Don't Say

• 我在学校自学数学。(Contradictory — 自学 implies learning outside formal instruction)

Origin & History

Compound of 自 (self) and 学 (to study, to learn). A straightforward combination meaning to learn by oneself.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal