About
The character "己", which conveys the meaning of "self" or "oneself" in modern Chinese, originates from an early pictographic representation that some scholars interpret as a coiled thread or a binding cord, implying a notion of personal enclosure or individual distinction. Its structural form, composed of three strokes, has remained consistent through historical usage without alteration, as it exists identically in both traditional and simplified systems. Initially carrying connotations of something belonging to a person, the term gradually shifted toward abstract self-reference, becoming a key pronoun and reflexive marker in classical language. This evolution is evident in philosophical contexts, particularly within Confucian thought, where "己" denotes the individual subject in moral exercises, such as in the concept of self-discipline, thereby enriching its semantic field from a simple designation to a complex ethical construct.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我自己去上学。
他喜欢自己读书。
我们应该相信自己。
孩子学会了自己穿鞋。
她总是先帮助别人再帮助自己。
在困难时期，人们必须依靠自己。
了解自己的优点和缺点很重要。
他坚持己见，不愿接受别人的意见。