自
oneself
Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Shape of nose. From pointing to one's nose to indicate self.
Symbolism
Self, nature, freedom. Represents individual autonomy.
Words & Expressions
Four-Character Compounds
自家撞着
じかどうちゃく
self-contradiction
自画自賛
じがじさん
singing one's own praises; praising one's own wares
自給自足
じきゅうじそく
self-sufficiency
自業自得
じごうじとく
paying for one's mistakes; getting one's just deserts; suffering the consequences (of one's own actions)
自己暗示
じこあんじ
autosuggestion; self-suggestion
自己犠牲
じこぎせい
self-sacrifice; self-renunciation
自己嫌悪
じこけんお
self-hatred; self-abhorrence; self-loathing
自己中心
じこちゅうしん
selfishness; egotism; egoism
自然淘汰
しぜんとうた
natural selection
自縄自縛
じじょうじばく
being caught in one's own trap; being hoisted by one's own petard
自分勝手
じぶんかって
selfishness; egotism; egoism
自暴自棄
じぼうじき
desperation; despair; self-abandonment
自由自在
じゆうじざい
free; unrestricted; (with) complete mastery
自由貿易
じゆうぼうえき
free trade
伸縮自在
しんしゅくじざい
elastic; flexible; telescoping
泰然自若
たいぜんじじゃく
having presence of mind; self-possessed; imperturbable
変幻自在
へんげんじざい
phantasmagoric; protean; shape-shifting
民族自決
みんぞくじけつ
self-determination of peoples
夜郎自大
やろうじだい
throwing one's weight around without knowing one's limitations; Yelang thinks too highly of itself
悠々自適
ゆうゆうじてき
living a life of leisure with dignity; living quietly and comfortably free from worldly cares; otium cum dignitate
茫然自失
ぼうぜんじしつ
stupor; stupefaction; trance
独立自尊
どくりつじそん
(spirit of) independence and self-respect
自己欺瞞
じこぎまん
self-deception; self-deceit
自己顕示
じこけんじ
making oneself conspicuous; pressing one's own cause
自由放任
じゆうほうにん
laissez-faire; non-intervention
自学自習
じがくじしゅう
teaching oneself; learning by oneself; self-study
自浄作用
じじょうさよう
autopurificatory activity (in the natural world)
自問自答
じもんじとう
answering one's own question; wondering to oneself; soliloquizing
自壊作用
じかいさよう
(the act of) disintegration
活殺自在
かっさつじざい
the power of life or death
神色自若
しんしょくじじゃく
perfect composure; calm and collected
自己弁護
じこべんご
self-justification; excuse
自己満足
じこまんぞく
self-satisfaction; (self-)complacency; smugness
自己矛盾
じこむじゅん
self-contradiction; paradox; antinomy
隠忍自重
いんにんじちょう
(behaving with) patience and prudence; putting up with something
緩急自在
かんきゅうじざい
varying the tempo or speed (of something) at will
自家薬籠
じかやくろう
(something that is) available for use at any time; (someone who is) at one's beck and call; (something over which) one has complete mastery
自己韜晦
じことうかい
concealing one's talents, position, status, intentions, etc.
自由奔放
じゆうほんぽう
free and uncontrolled; behaving with abandon; freewheeling
自由闊達
じゆうかったつ
free and easy; open and natural; not fastidious
自力更生
じりきこうせい
working out one's salvation by own efforts; rehabilitating oneself by one's own efforts; rectifying one's ways of life without relying on others' help
無為自然
むいしぜん
abandoning artifice and just being oneself; doing nothing and taking things as they come; unconditioned nature
闊達自在
かったつじざい
broad-minded and free in disposition; large-hearted and not scrupulous about trifles
自己演出
じこえんしゅつ
author directing or producing his or her own play (film); staging oneself for effect; presenting oneself in a favorable light
自己陶酔
じことうすい
narcissism; self-absorption; self-intoxication
自己撞着
じこどうちゃく
self-contradiction; self-inconsistency
自作自演
じさくじえん
performing a part in one's own play; playing a musical piece that one has written; doing everything by oneself (from preparation to execution)
縦横自在
じゅうおうじざい
freely; right and left; active without any restraint
出没自在
しゅつぼつじざい
appearing and disappearing at will; elusive; phantom-like
従容自若
しょうようじじゃく
having presence of mind; imperturbable; calm and self-possessed
独立自存
どくりつじそん
independence and self-reliance
改過自新
かいかじしん
changing one's attitude or conduct and making a new start; turning over a new leaf
天然自然
てんねんしぜん
natural; naturally
冷暖自知
れいだんじち
spiritual enlightenment only comes through personal experience
Anime & Manga
GATE 自衛隊 彼の地にて、斯く戦えり
Gate
A well-known work with 自 in its Japanese title.
ヴァイオレット・エヴァーガーデン 外伝~永遠と自動手記人形~
Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll
A well-known work with 自 in its Japanese title.
ループ7回目の悪役令嬢は、元敵国で自由気ままな花嫁生活を満喫する
7th Time Loop: The Villainess Enjoys a Carefree Life Married to Her Worst Enemy!
A well-known work with 自 in its Japanese title.
転生貴族の異世界冒険録 〜自重を知らない神々の使徒〜
The Aristocrat’s Otherworldly Adventure: Serving Gods Who Go Too Far
A well-known work with 自 in its Japanese title.
自動販売機に生まれ変わった俺は迷宮を彷徨う
Reborn as a Vending Machine, I Now Wander the Dungeon
A well-known work with 自 in its Japanese title.
Other kanji with the same meaning
“oneself”
Similar Kanji
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 自 mean in Japanese?
自 means oneself.
How do you read 自?
On'yomi: ジ、シ (JI, SHI). Kun'yomi: みずか.ら、おの.ずから、おの.ずと (mizukara, onozukara, onozuto).
How many strokes does 自 have?
自 has 6 strokes. Its radical is 自 (self).
Is 自 a good kanji for a tattoo?
自 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means oneself. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.
Explore by meaning:oneself