What does the kanji 自 mean?

Memory hook

A hand pointing at the eye (目) right above your own nose — SELF, ONESELF.

Main radical

Built from

• 自self, nose 6 strokes
• 目eye 5 strokes

Stroke order · 6 strokes

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6

Common words

• 自らみずからoneself, personally, in person
• 自分じぶんoneself
• 自然しぜんnature; natural
• 自動車じどうしゃautomobile, car
• 自転車じてんしゃbicycle
• 自ずからおのずからnaturally, of itself

More words with this kanji

• 自信じしんself-confidence
• 自由じゆうfreedom
• 自動じどうautomatic
• 自己じこself, oneself
• 自慢じまんpride; boasting
• 自殺じさつsuicide
• 自身じしんoneself
• 不自由ふじゆうinconvenient, lacking; disabled
• 各自かくじeach person, individually
• 自体じたいitself, in itself
• 自宅じたくone's own home
• 自治じちself-government, autonomy
• 自習じしゅうself-study
• 自衛じえいself-defense
• 自然科学しぜんかがくnatural science
• 独自どくじunique, original; independent
• 自主じしゅautonomy, self-determination
• 自在じざいfreely, at will
• 自我じがego, self
• 自立じりつself-reliance, independence
• 自覚じかくself-awareness, awareness
• 自首じしゅturning oneself in, surrender (to police)
• 自転じてんrotation (on one's own axis)
• 自尊心じそんしんself-respect, pride