Writing
自己 (zìjǐ) — how to say "self" in Chinese
自己
Self, oneself
personal pronoun
How to use it
Doesn't change form: the same word is both subject and object.
我自己做。
wǒ zì jǐ zuò
I'll do it myself.
Character composition
自
self
己
self
Radicals / Keys
自
Self
#132 · zì · 6 strokes
己
Oneself
#49 · jǐ · 3 strokes
Synonyms
Examples
孩子应该学会自己做决定。
Children should learn to make decisions themselves.
我自己可以完成。
I can complete it myself.
Mnemonic
[zìjǐ-] Ziggy the Zebra 🦓 stands in front of a magical mirror that reflects his true self. He sees two versions: 自 (his outer stripes that everyone sees) and 己 (the unique spark within). In the reflection, the Chinese character 自己 "self" shines brightly, reminding Ziggy he's fabulous just as he is!
Frequently asked questions
How do you say "self" in Chinese?
"self" in Chinese is 自己 (zìjǐ).
自己 meaning in English
自己 (zìjǐ) means "Self, oneself".
How is 自己 pronounced?
It is pronounced zìjǐ (written as ziji). You can listen to the pronunciation on this page.
Self in Chinese characters
It is written 自己: 自 has 6 strokes, 己 has 3 strokes. The Writing section above animates the stroke order of each character and lets you trace it.
What HSK level is 自己?
自己 belongs to the HSK 3 vocabulary list.
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