Chinese word

自责

Pronunciation

Pinyinzì zé

Meaning

  • verbblame oneself

Example

不要为一点小事就自责。bú yào wèi yì diǎn xiǎo shì jiù zì zé

Don't blame yourself over such a small matter.

Illustration for 自责 (blame oneself)

More examples

经历失败后，不要过度自责，重要的是吸取教训。jīng lì shī bài hòu bú yào guò dù zì zé zhòng yào de shì xī qǔ jiào xùn

After a failure, don't blame yourself excessively; the important thing is to learn from it.

Core concept

Keeps the spotlight on the self as both the person at fault and the person delivering the criticism.

Common phrases

  • 为失误自责wèi shī wù zì zé

    blame oneself for an error

  • 过分自责guò fèn zì zé

    blame oneself too much

  • 自责不已zì zé bù yǐ

    blame oneself incessantly

Similar words

自我批评zì wǒ pī píng: Pointing out and criticizing flaws in one's own words or actions.
自我谴责zì wǒ qiǎn zé: Strongly condemning oneself for one's own wrong actions or words.
忏悔chàn huǐ: Feeling regret for one's actions and wanting to confess or apologize.
反省fán xǐng: Looking back on one's actions or thoughts to identify faults and reconsider them.

Definition in Chinese

认为自己应承担责任而对自己加以指责或批评。rèn wéi zì jǐ yìng chéng dān zé rèn ér duì zì jǐ jiā yǐ zhǐ zé huò pī píng

Word origin

In 自 (zì, "self") + 责 (zé, "blame"), the two characters join a person who is judged with the act of judging, which explains the word's inward direction.

Usage tips

  • In everyday reassurance, this verb commonly appears after 别 (bié, "do not") or 不要 (bùyào, "do not"), a useful pattern for understanding comforting remarks after a mistake.

Opposites

  • 原谅自己yuán liàng zì jǐforgive oneselfverb

Related words

  • 自责感zì zé gǎnfeeling of self-blamenoun
  • 自责倾向zì zé qīng xiàngself-blaming tendencynoun

Word lists with this word