自己

• 拼音: zì jǐ
• 汉字拆解: 自 = pictograph of a nose (people point to their nose to indicate 'self' in Chinese culture); 己 = pictograph meaning 'self'

含义

Oneself; self; by oneself. A reflexive pronoun referring to the subject of the sentence.

One of the most frequently used words in Chinese. Used as a pronoun meaning 'oneself' or as an adjective meaning 'own.' Can be placed after other pronouns for emphasis: 我自己 (I myself), 你自己 (you yourself). Also used in the pattern 自己的 (one's own).

例句

1. 这件事你要自己决定。
2. 我自己一个人住。
3. 孩子们要学会自己的事情自己做。

用法指南

语境: everyday, conversation

语气: emphatic

正确说法

• 你要相信自己。(You need to believe in yourself.)
• 这是我自己做的蛋糕。(This is a cake I made myself.)

错误说法

• 他自己们去了。(Don't add 们 after 自己 — 自己 can already refer to plural subjects. Say 他们自己去了.)

起源与历史

Compound of 自 (self, from) and 己 (self/oneself), both carrying the meaning of 'self.'

文化背景

世代: All ages

社会背景: Universal