Introduction
English needs myself, yourself, himself, herself, ourselves and themselves. Chinese needs one word: 自己 (zìjǐ). It takes its person from whoever the subject is, so 我自己 (wǒ zìjǐ) and 他自己 (tā zìjǐ) use exactly the same second half.
Overview
Structure: Subj. + 自己 (zìjǐ) + Verb
| Pattern | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Subj. + 自己 + V | 我自己做饭。(Wǒ zìjǐ zuò fàn.) | I cook for myself. |
| 自己 + 的 + Noun | 这是我自己的房间。(Zhè shì wǒ zìjǐ de fángjiān.) | This is my own room. |
| 自己 as the object | 他只想着自己。(Tā zhǐ xiǎng zhe zìjǐ.) | He only thinks about himself. |
| 自己 + 一个人 | 我自己一个人去。(Wǒ zìjǐ yí ge rén qù.) | I'm going on my own. |
| 自己 alone | 自己来。(Zìjǐ lái.) | I'll do it myself. |
One word for every person, and its place decides its meaning:
- 我自己 (wǒ zìjǐ)、你自己 (nǐ zìjǐ)、他自己 (tā zìjǐ)、我们自己 (wǒmen zìjǐ) — 自己 never changes.
- Before the verb it means "without help": 我自己做。(Wǒ zìjǐ zuò.)
- After 的 (de) it means "own": 我自己的房间。(Wǒ zìjǐ de fángjiān.)
- The subject can be dropped when it is obvious: ✓ 自己来。(Zìjǐ lái.) — said as you take something out of someone's hands.
Examples
我自己做饭，不去饭馆。
Wǒ zìjǐ zuò fàn, bú qù fànguǎn.
I cook for myself, I don't eat out.
这是我自己的房间。
Zhè shì wǒ zìjǐ de fángjiān.
This is my own room.
你自己去还是跟他一起去？
Nǐ zìjǐ qù háishi gēn tā yìqǐ qù?
Are you going on your own or with him?
孩子应该自己做自己的事。
Háizi yīnggāi zìjǐ zuò zìjǐ de shì.
Children should do their own things themselves.
他只想着自己。
Tā zhǐ xiǎng zhe zìjǐ.
He only thinks about himself.
别客气，自己来。
Bié kèqi, zìjǐ lái.
Don't stand on ceremony, help yourself.
Usage Notes
- 自己 (zìjǐ) most often follows the pronoun it belongs to — 我自己 (wǒ zìjǐ) — but the pronoun can be dropped once the person is clear.
- Directly before a verb it carries the meaning "by myself, not with help, not by anyone else".
- With 的 (de) it makes possession emphatic: 我的书 (wǒ de shū) is my book; 我自己的书 (wǒ zìjǐ de shū) is my own book.
- 自己一个人 (zìjǐ yí ge rén) is the everyday way to say "alone", stronger than 自己 (zìjǐ) on its own.
- Do not confuse it with 一起 (yìqǐ): 自己去 (zìjǐ qù) is going alone, 一起去 (yìqǐ qù) is going together.