自 — how to write the kanji for “oneself”
自 (“oneself”) is a JLPT N4 kanji taught in second grade in Japan. In newspapers it is one of the hundred most used kanji (19th). KANJIDIC2 gives it 2 on readings and 3 kun readings, so the word decides how you say it. Read ji, it forms 自分 (“myself”), 自宅 (“one's home”) and 自民 (“Liberal Democratic Party”); the native reading mizuka-ra gives 自ら (“oneself”). Chinese reads it zì, “self”, at HSK 2.
- Strokes
- 6
- JLPT
- N4
- Radical
- 自 (“oneself”)
- On
- シ, ジ
- Kun
- みずか·ら, おの·ずから, おの·ずと
Stroke by stroke
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- Left-falling stroke ㇒topdown and left
- Vertical ㇑top leftdownwards
- Horizontal-turn ㇕top leftrightwards → downwards
- Horizontal ㇐leftrightwards
- Horizontal ㇐bottom leftrightwards
- Horizontal ㇐bottom leftrightwards
Japanese and Chinese
The two models differ in shape, so our comparison does not claim an order; compare the numbered frames yourself (6 strokes in Japanese, 6 strokes in Chinese).
Trace it
Follow the numbers. Tracing help
Readings
- On (Chinese-derived)
- シ shi, ジ ji (rare)
- Kun (native)
- みずか·ら mizuka-ra, おの·ずから ono-zukara, おの·ずと ono-zuto (rare)
- Meanings
- oneself
- Read ji
- 自分 自宅 自民 自由 自身 自動車
- Read mizuka-ra
- 自ら
- Read shi
- 自然
- School year
- second grade
- Newspaper rank
- 19th of 2,500 (KANJIDIC2)
- Korean hanja
- 자 ja
- Common words
- 107 in JMdict
Words with 自
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 自ら | みずから mizukara | oneself; oneself |
| 自分 | じぶん jibun | myself; yourself |
| 自宅 | じたく jitaku | one's home; one's house |
| 自民 | じみん jimin | Liberal Democratic Party; LDP |
| 自然 | しぜん shizen | nature; natural |
| 自由 | じゆう jiyuu | freedom; liberty |
| 自身 | じしん jishin | (one's) self; oneself |
| 自動車 | じどうしゃ jidousha | car; automobile |
| 自民党 | じみんとう jimintou | Liberal Democratic Party; LDP |
| 自衛隊 | じえいたい jieitai | Japan Self-Defense Forces; JSDF |
Most common first (JMdict).
Practice sheet
Print at 100%. Several kanji: worksheet maker.
Keep going
Same parts:
JLPT N4, in list order: