自身

じしん · jishin · JLPT N3 · noun

oneself

自身 = self (自) + body (身): one's own body, oneself

自 means self, as in 自分 (jibun). 身 means body or person, as in 身体 (shintai). Together: one's own person. Often follows a noun for emphasis, e.g. 私自身 = I myself. Same sound as 地震 (jishin, earthquake) and 自信 (confidence).

自 — pictograph of a nose
自 originally depicted a human nose, shown frontally with the bridge and nostrils. Ancient Chinese pointed to their own nose to mean 'me,' so 自 shifted to mean 'self' or 'oneself.' A new character 鼻 was later created to carry the original 'nose' meaning.

身 — pictograph of a pregnant body
身 is a pictograph originally depicting a person with a swollen belly, representing a pregnant woman in profile. Over time the meaning broadened from 'pregnancy' or 'torso' to refer to the body in general, and by extension oneself or one's person.

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