自分自身(じぶんじしん)

An emphatic form of 自分(じぶん) that explicitly stresses "oneself" as opposed to others. Used when the contrast between self and others needs to be highlighted, or when emphasizing personal agency and responsibility.

Common collocations

• 自分自身(じぶんじしん)を信(しん)じる: to believe in oneself
• 自分自身(じぶんじしん)を見(み)つめる: to look at oneself; to reflect on oneself
• 自分自身(じぶんじしん)の問題(もんだい): one's own problem
• 自分自身(じぶんじしん)のために: for one's own sake
• 自分自身(じぶんじしん)を変(か)える: to change oneself

Usage

While 自分(じぶん) alone can mean "oneself," adding 自身(じしん) makes it more emphatic and deliberate. This form is common in self-help contexts, speeches, and serious discussions about personal growth. It functions like English "yourself" vs. "your own self" — the longer form carries more weight.

Similar words

• 自分(じぶん): plain "self" — less emphatic, used in everyday speech
• 自身(じしん): "oneself" — can attach to other pronouns too (彼(かれ)自身(じしん), 私(わたし)自身(じしん))
• 自己(じこ): "self" — more formal and abstract, used in compounds like 自己紹介(じこしょうかい) (self-introduction)