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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

oneself

Details

Strokes6
Frequency#19
Radical自self(6)

Stroke Order

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Strokes6

Cultural Context

Etymology

Shape of nose. From pointing to one's nose to indicate self.

Symbolism

Self, nature, freedom. Represents individual autonomy.

Words & Expressions

Words written with 自

自己じこself
自分じぶんmyself
自由じゆうfreedom
自民じみんldp
自負じふpride
自体じたいitself

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

Anime

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

Anime

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!

Anime

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

Anime

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

Anime

A well-known work with 自 in its Japanese title.

Other kanji with the same meaning

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.

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