自負

• Reading: じふ
• Romaji: jifu
• Kanji breakdown: 自 (ji/mizuka) — self; 負 (fu/ma) — to carry, bear; to be proud of
• Pronunciation: /dʑiɸɯ/

Meaning

Pride; self-confidence; self-assurance. A strong, justified sense of confidence in one's own abilities, achievements, or character.

A formal noun and する-verb (自負する). Implies an earned, meritocratic pride rather than arrogance. The construction 自負している (jifushite iru) is used when someone is confident in their own abilities: 私は〜できると自負している (I am confident that I can...). Stronger and more formal than 自信 (jishin — confidence) and carries a positive nuance of well-founded self-assurance based on proven competence.

Examples

1. 彼は長年の経験から、この分野では誰にも負けないという自負がある。 Drawing on years of experience, he takes pride in the belief that no one can beat him in this field.
2. 自負があるのは良いことだが、傲慢にならないよう注意が必要だ。 Having pride in yourself is a good thing, but you need to be careful not to become arrogant.
3. 彼女は自分の研究成果に自負を持って学会に臨んだ。 She attended the conference with pride in her research accomplishments.

Usage Guide

Context: career, academia, personal achievement, self-expression

Tone: confident

Origin & History

Compound of 自 (ji — self) and 負 (fu — to carry, bear, take on). The sense of 'carrying oneself with pride' captures the confident self-reliance the word conveys.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal