自分(じぶん)

自分(じぶん) is a reflexive pronoun meaning "oneself." Unlike English, it is not limited to the speaker — it refers back to the subject of the sentence, whoever that may be.

Common patterns

• 自分(じぶん)で: by oneself (emphasizes doing it independently)
• 自分(じぶん)の: one's own (自分(じぶん)の部屋(へや) = one's own room)
• 自分(じぶん)自身(じしん): oneself (emphatic)
• 自分(じぶん)のことは自分(じぶん)でする: to do one's own things by oneself

USAGE (who it refers to):
自分(じぶん) refers to whoever is the subject:

• 私(わたし)は自分(じぶん)で作(つく)った (I made it myself)
• 彼(かれ)は自分(じぶん)の間違(まちが)いに気(き)づいた (He noticed his own mistake)

USAGE (as a personal pronoun):
In the stiff, deferential speech of some men (sports clubs, the military, the police), 自分(じぶん) is sometimes used to mean "I/me" directly: 自分(じぶん)はそう思(おも)います (I think so).
In Kansai speech, 自分(じぶん) can also mean "you": 自分(じぶん)、どこ行(い)くん？ (Where are you going?).