自我|じがjiga[1]atamadaka (head-high)

JLPT N1approx.Common
Definitions
  1. noun, philosophyego
    彼かれらは喜よろこびのあまりすっかり自我じがをわすれた。↗
    They were quite beside themselves with joy.
  2. noun, psychologyself
  3. noun, psychoanalysisego
Synonyms & antonyms
  • SynonymエゴNeutralLoanword covering the ego and selfishness, as in 「エゴイスト」; often negative in tone, whereas 「自我」 is neutral and psychological.
  • Synonym自己じこNeutralSimply means oneself; very common in compounds like 「自己紹介」 and 「自己概念」. 「自我」 leans toward psychological or philosophical self-awareness.
  • Related主我しゅがWrittenWritten and rare: a mindset or attitude that puts one's own interests and desires first, so it leans selfish; 「自我」 is self-awareness itself.
  • Antonym無我むがWrittenWritten, Buddhist term for selflessness or being absorbed in something, as in 「無我夢中」; the opposite of the self-aware 「自我」.
  • Antonym他者たしゃWrittenWritten word for other people; stands opposite 「自我」 in the self-versus-others pairing.

Use 「自我」 for the self in psychology or philosophy, as in 「自我が強い」 or 「自我の目覚め」. For selfishness say 「エゴ」; for oneself in general use 「自己」. 「無我」 and 「他者」 are its opposites.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

Japanese definitions
  1. 自分自身じぶんじしん。
  2. 自分じぶんの存在そんざいや思想しそうに対たいし執着しゅうちゃくする心こころ。自己主張じこしゅちょう。
  3. 社会的しゃかいてき存在そんざいを等とうして意識いしきされた自分自身じぶんじしん。
  4. (エゴ"ego"の訳語やくごとして)他人たにんと異ことなった独立どくりつした存在そんざいとして、自分自身じぶんじしんを認識にんしきすること。
  5. 宇宙うちゅうに存在そんざいする他たのいっさいのものと区別くべつし、対立たいりつする存在そんざいとして認みとめた自分じぶん。
  6. 人ひとの行動こうどうや意識いしき作用さようの自律的じりつてきな主体しゅたい、またそれと同一どういつ視しされるもの。
Kanji in this word
English equivalents

JLPT vocabulary levels are community estimates, not official (no official lists have been published since the 2010 revision).

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