Japanese word

自己

Pronunciation

Romajijiko

Meaning

  • nounself

Example

自己を大切にします。ji ko o tai setsu ni shi ma su

I value myself.

Illustration for 自己 (self)

More examples

失敗しても自己を責めません。ship pai shi te mo ji ko o se me ma se n

Even when I fail, I do not blame myself.

Core concept

It presents the person or identity being considered from within, rather than as someone else.

Common phrases

  • 自己を守るji ko o mamo ru

    protect oneself

  • 自己を知るji ko o shi ru

    know oneself

Similar words

自分jibun: The person regarded as oneself, often used in ordinary conversation.
自身jishin: The person or thing itself, used to add emphasis to the subject.

Definition in Japanese

ある人が他人ではなく、自分自身を指すもの。a ru hito ga ta nin de wa na ku ji bun ji shin o sa su mo no

Word origin

自己 (jiko) is a Sino-Japanese compound formed from 自 (ji, "self") and 己 (ko, "self"), so its structure points to one's own identity.

Usage tips

  • 自己 (jiko) often sounds more formal than 自分 (jibun), which is common in ordinary conversation.

Opposites

Word lists with this word