Meaning
自己 is a reflexive pronoun that refers back to the subject of the sentence. It emphasizes the person doing the action themselves, or refers to something belonging to that person. It's one of the most fundamental pronouns in Chinese and can correspond to any person depending on context.
Usage
Native speakers use 自己 to emphasize personal responsibility, independence, or possession. It commonly appears after personal pronouns (我自己, 你自己) for extra emphasis, or alone when the subject is clear from context. It's neutral in register and used in both spoken and written Chinese across all contexts.
Examples
- 01这是我自己做的。.I made this myself.
- 02你要学会照顾自己。.You need to learn to take care of yourself.
Characters
Common collocations
- 我自己I myself, by myself
- 你自己you yourself, by yourself
- 自己的one's own
- 靠自己rely on oneself
Antonyms
Origin
Both characters relate to the concept of self. 自 originally depicted a nose, which people point to when referring to themselves. 己 is an ancient character representing the body or self.