在我 (zài wǒ) — it's up to me; it depends on me

Definition

Used when responsibility or the outcome lies with the speaker — "it's up to me / it depends on me." Often paired with 不是 in 不是在你 to shift the weight to someone else.

verb
it's up to meit depends on me

Examples

  • 在我，。
    Zhè jiàn shì zài wǒ, nǐ bú yòng dān xīn.
    This matter is up to me; you don't need to worry.
  • 在我，。
    Zuì hòu de jué dìng zài wǒ, bú shì zài nǐ.
    The final decision is up to me, not up to you.
  • 在我，。
    Néng bù néng chéng gōng zài wǒ, dàn wǒ huì nǔ lì.
    Whether I can succeed is up to me, but I will work hard.

Origin

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

The early form of 在 used 才 for its sound; a second sound part 士 was added later, and that 士 became the 土 seen in 在.

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A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

假借jiǎjièLater borrowed for its sound alone — the picture has nothing to do with today’s meaning.

The glyph 我 originally drew a trident-like weapon. It was borrowed purely for its sound to write the pronoun "I", so the picture and the meaning are unrelated.

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