自主 (zìzhǔ) means 'to act independently, to make one's own decisions' — it emphasizes autonomy and self-determination, often in contexts like choosing, deciding, or innovating. It differs from 独立 (dúlì 'independent, to stand alone'), which focuses on not relying on others, and from 自立 (zìlì 'self-reliant'), which stresses supporting oneself financially or practically. 自主 is about having the right or ability to decide for yourself.