1.
oneself; one's own self
An emphatic reflexive pronoun that stresses the person themselves, as opposed to others. Combines 自分 (self) with 自身 (itself) for emphasis.
自分自身を信じる。
To believe in oneself.
自分自身の弱さを認めることも大切だ。
It's also important to acknowledge your own weaknesses.
他人のことより、まず自分自身を大事にしなさい。
Before worrying about others, take care of yourself first.
An emphatic form of 自分 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:
- 自分自身を信じる: to believe in oneself
- 自分自身を見つめる: to look at oneself; to reflect on oneself
- 自分自身の問題: one's own problem
- 自分自身のために: for one's own sake
- 自分自身を変える: to change oneself
USAGE:
While 自分 alone can mean "oneself," adding 自身 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: plain "self" — less emphatic, used in everyday speech
- 自身: "oneself" — can attach to other pronouns too (彼自身, 私自身)
- 自己: "self" — more formal and abstract, used in compounds like 自己紹介 (self-introduction)