tự
Definition
Preposition:
- From / Since: Indicates a starting point in time or space.
- Because of / Due to: Indicates a cause or reason.
Pronoun (reflexive):
- Oneself / Myself / Yourself / Himself / Herself / Itself / Themselves: Used as a reflexive pronoun, referring back to the subject of the clause to indicate the action is performed by the subject on or for themselves.
Noun:
- Temple guardian / Pagoda keeper: A person who guards or maintains a temple.
- Courtesy name / Style name: In historical East Asian tradition, a name given to a person upon adulthood, used in formal or literary contexts.
Usage Examples
Preposition (From/Since):
- Tự nhà đến ga. (From home to the station.)
- Tự nay về sau. (From now on.)
Preposition (Because of):
- Mọi việc xảy ra là tự lão ấy. (Everything happened because of him.)
Pronoun (Reflexive):
- Tôi tự làm lấy. (I do it myself.)
- Anh ấy tự khen mình. (He praises himself.)
Noun (Courtesy name):
- Nguyễn Du tự là Tố Như. (Nguyễn Du's courtesy name is Tố Như.)
Advanced Usage
- "tự" as a reflexive prefix: Often combined with verbs to create reflexive verbs.
- tự tử: to commit suicide (lit. to kill oneself).
- tự ái: self-respect; easily offended pride (lit. to love oneself).
- tự giác: self-conscious; voluntary (lit. to be aware by oneself).
Variants and Related Words
Tự động (adj/adv): automatic; automatically.
- Cửa mở tự động. (The door opens automatically.)
Tự do (adj/n): free; freedom.
- Tự do ngôn luận. (Freedom of speech.)
Tự nhiên (adj/adv): natural; naturally.
- Anh ấy cư xử rất tự nhiên. (He behaves very naturally.)
Synonyms
- Preposition (From): từ, kể từ.
- Preposition (Because of): bởi vì, do, tại vì.
- Pronoun (Oneself): chính mình, bản thân.
- Noun (Courtesy name): tên chữ.
Related Idioms
Tự lực cánh sinh: to be self-reliant; to pull oneself up by one's bootstraps.
- Công ty phải tự lực cánh sinh. (The company must be self-reliant.)
Tự cao tự đại: arrogant; conceited.
- Đừng nên tự cao tự đại. (You shouldn't be arrogant.)