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自 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
自zìfromHSK 4, p, 6 strokes, radical 自, rank #841, Medium
自zìselfHSK 4, p, 6 strokes, radical 自, rank #841, Medium
自zìoneselfHSK 4, p, 6 strokes, radical 自, rank #841, Medium
自zìsinceHSK 4, p, 6 strokes, radical 自, rank #841, Medium
自zìself; private, personal; fromHSK 4, p, 6 strokes, radical 自, rank #841, Medium
自zìnaturallyHSK 4, unknown, 6 strokes, radical 自, rank #841, Medium
自zìsurelyHSK 4, unknown, 6 strokes, radical 自, rank #841, Medium
zì(zi4) T4
  1. 1from
  2. 2self
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
自zì(zi4)

The character 自 (zì) primarily means 'self' or 'oneself.' It is often used to indicate ownership or personal identity, as in 自己 (zìjǐ), meaning 'oneself.' This character can also imply a sense of naturalness or automatic behavior, as in 自然 (zìrán), meaning 'natural.'

Strokes6Radical自Frequency#841DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

自 (zì) is connected to the Chinese philosophical concept of self-cultivation, which emphasizes the importance of understanding and improving oneself in both personal and social contexts. This idea is prevalent in Confucianism.

Memory Tip

Think of 自 (zì) as a mirror reflecting yourself. The character resembles a person standing alone, representing individuality. Imagine a scene where you look in the mirror and say, 'This is me, 自!' to cement the connection to 'self.'

Meanings of 自

zì(zi4)
1from
2self
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 自

自Simplified
6Strokes
自Radical
介词jiècípreposition (prep.)Part of Speech
#841Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L4IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1

Podcast: 自

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Podcast: 自

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AI Study Notes for 自

Memory Mnemonic

Think of 自 (zì) as a mirror reflecting yourself. The character resembles a person standing alone, representing individuality. Imagine a scene where you look in the mirror and say, 'This is me, 自!' to cement the connection to 'self.'

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 自 with similar characters like 自己 (zìjǐ) and 之 (zhī). Remember that 自 is often used in more formal contexts, while colloquial expressions might prefer alternatives. Watch out for tone errors, as zì is pronounced with a falling tone.

HSK Study Tips

While 自 is not explicitly listed in HSK levels, it is foundational for understanding many phrases. Focus on how it combines with other characters to form words about identity and possession, aiding in vocabulary expansion.

Cultural Note

自 (zì) is connected to the Chinese philosophical concept of self-cultivation, which emphasizes the importance of understanding and improving oneself in both personal and social contexts. This idea is prevalent in Confucianism.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mix up 自 (zì) with the character 之 (zhī) when indicating possession. For example, saying '我的之书' (wǒ de zhī shū) instead of '我的书' (wǒ de shū) for 'my book' is incorrect. Remember to use 自 only in contexts involving 'self' or 'oneself.'

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 自

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Etymology of 自

Formation TypePictographic 象形
六书 ClassificationPictograph (象形字)~4% of characters
Explanation

Pictograph of a nose. Original form of 鼻 (nose). In China, when people point to themselves, they typically point to their nose.

Memory Hint

A nose; in China, people refer to themselves by pointing to their noses

Learn more about Pictograph (象形字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 自?

Decomposition of 自

IDS Structure⿻目？
自Full Character
=
目mu4
outer
Exercise 1 of 1

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 自?

Write 自

自

Practice writing 自 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 自

自 functions as a preposition (often called a "coverb" in Chinese). It introduces a phrase that comes BEFORE the main verb (我在家吃饭, 给妈妈打电话), unlike English which puts prepositions after the verb. It carries 7 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Related grammar lessons6
Exercise 1 of 3

Complete the Sentence

____从修了公路，这儿的交通就方便多了。

Ever since the road was built, transportation here has become much more convenient.

Example Sentences for 自 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我觉得自己应该放声歌唱。

wǒ jué dé zì jǐ yīng gāi fàng shēng gē chàng。

I feel as if I should break into song.
2
我不得不承认自己的字写得不好看。

wǒ bù dé bù chéng rèn zì jǐ de zì xiě dé bù hǎo kàn。

I have to admit that I have bad handwriting.
3
我踉踉跄跄地，不得不抓住一把椅子稳住自己。

wǒ liáng liáng qiāng qiāng dì， ， bù dé bù zhuā zhù yī bǎ yǐ zǐ wěn zhù zì。

I staggered and had to clutch at a chair for support.
4
我得慢慢学会独自生活。

wǒ dé màn màn xué huì dú zì shēng huó。

I would have to learn, little by little, to exist alone.
5
母亲总是使我觉得自己不够优秀。

mǔ qīn zǒng shì shǐ wǒ jué dé zì jǐ bù gòu yōu xiù。

My mother always made me feel I wasn't coming up to scratch.
6
最近我开始经常散步和骑自行车。

zuì jìn wǒ kāi shǐ jīng cháng sàn bù hé qí zì háng chē。

Recently I've started to do a lot of walking and cycling.
7
我认为像慢跑、举重这样的运动不符合自然规律。

wǒ rèn wéi xiàng màn pǎo、 、 jǔ zhòng zhè yàng de yùn dòng bù fú hé zì rán guī。

I consider activities such as jogging and weightlifting as unnatural.
8
迟早我得自己承担后果。

chí zǎo wǒ dé zì jǐ chéng dān hòu guǒ。

Sooner or later, I'm going to have to face the music.
9
我把最后两指宽的波旁威士忌都倒进自己杯中。

wǒ bǎ zuì hòu liǎng zhǐ kuān de bō páng wēi shì jì dū dǎo jìn zì jǐ bēi zhōng。

I poured two final fingers of bourbon into my glass.
10
我告诉他，如果他退出，责任自负。

wǒ gào sù tā， ， rú guǒ tā tuì， chū ， zé rèn。

I told him if he withdrew it was on his own account.

Cultural Notes for 自

🏮Cultural insight

自 (zì) is connected to the Chinese philosophical concept of self-cultivation, which emphasizes the importance of understanding and improving oneself in both personal and social contexts. This idea is prevalent in Confucianism.

Word Family of 自

Compounds20
息xi1breath
首shou3head
咱za2variant of 咱[zán]
夏Xia4the Xia or Hsia dynasty c. 2000 BC
臭chou4stench
瘪bie3shriveled, dried up; vexed
戛jia2lance; to lightly tap or strike
垍
奡
洎ji4when, until; to soak; soup
臬nie4provincial judge; law, rule; door post
癟bie3shriveled, dried up; vexed
臫
臮
臯
臰
臱mian2
詯
辠
郋
Words Containing This Character20
自己zìjǐoneself
自zìself
来自láizìto come from (a place)來自
自然zìránnature
自由zìyóufreedom
自我zìwǒself-
自杀zìshāto kill oneself自殺
自从zìcóngsince (a time)自從
自身zìshēnitself
亲自qīnzìpersonally親自
自动zìdòngautomatic自動
自信zìxìnself-confidence
独自dúzìalone獨自
各自gèzìeach
自行车zìxíngchēbicycle自行車
自主zìzhǔindependent
自豪zìháoproud (of one's achievements etc)
自觉zìjuéconscious自覺
自愿zìyuànvoluntary自願
自私zìsīselfish
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 息 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 自

自 (zì) means 'self' or 'oneself,' while 自己 (zìjǐ) specifically refers to 'oneself' or 'myself' in contexts that emphasize individuality.