自(みずか)ら

みずから
adverb, pronoun
oneself; personally; voluntarily
formalliterarywrittendescriptive
1. oneself; personally
Doing something by one's own hand or action.
社長(しゃちょう)が自(みずか)ら説明(せつめい)した。
The president personally explained it.
問題(もんだい)は自(みずか)らの行動(こうどう)で解決(かいけつ)するべきだ。
You should solve the problem through your own actions.
首相(しゅしょう)が自(みずか)ら発表(はっぴょう)した。
The prime minister announced it personally.
自(みずか)らの手(て)で作(つく)った。
I made it with my own hands.
自(みずか)らの責任(せきにん)で判断(はんだん)する。
I'll judge based on my own responsibility.
2. voluntarily; of one's own accord
Acting without being forced or asked.
自(みずか)ら進(すす)んで手伝(てつだ)った。
I volunteered to help.
自(みずか)ら志願(しがん)した。
I volunteered of my own accord.
自(みずか)ら進(すす)んで参加(さんか)した。
I participated voluntarily.
自(みずか)ら辞任(じにん)を申(もう)し出(で)た。
He voluntarily offered to resign.
自(みずか)ら選(えら)んだ道(みち)だ。
It's a path I chose voluntarily.

自(みずか)ら functions as both an adverb (personally, voluntarily) and a pronoun (oneself).

Common patterns

When used as a pronoun, 自(みずか)ら takes the possessive particle の: 自(みずか)らの責任(せきにん) (one's own responsibility).

Register: Formal/literary. More common in written Japanese and formal speech. 自分(じぶん)で is the casual equivalent.

Similar words

  • 自(みずか)ら vs. 自分(じぶん): 自分(じぶん) is the common everyday word for "oneself"; 自(みずか)ら emphasizes personal initiative or action and is more formal/literary.
  • 自(みずか)ら vs. 自(みずか)らの: 自(みずか)らの functions as a possessive ("one's own").

Related Words

Related: 自分(じぶん) (oneself (common))
core
Added 2026.1.13 15:25 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:00
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