自恃 (zì shì) — to count on (one's own advantage) and be overconfident; to be self-assured in a conceited way

Definition

A formal, literary verb meaning to rely on one's own advantage (experience, talent, youth) in an overconfident, conceited way. The two English glosses name the same negative self-reliance — don't split them into separate senses.

verb
to count on (one's own advantage) and be overconfidentto be self-assured in a conceited way
Easily confused

Examples

  • 自恃，。
    Tā zì shì yǒu jīng yàn, cóng bù tīng qǔ bié rén de jiàn yì.
    He relies on his experience and never listens to others' suggestions.
  • 自恃，。
    Yí gè rén ruò zì shì cái gāo, wǎng wǎng nán yǐ jìn bù.
    If a person is overconfident in their talent, they often find it hard to improve.
  • 自恃，。
    Tā zì shì nián qīng, jīng cháng áo yè gōng zuò.
    Relying on her youth, she often stays up late working.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

自zìself
恃shìrely

自 “self” + 恃 “rely” gives the sense of relying on oneself.

Characters in this word

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.

自 originally drew a nose. It was borrowed purely for its sound to write 自, so the picture and the meaning are unrelated.

Open 自 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
寺
寺sì恃shì
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

恃 combines 心 (heart) with 寺, which gives its sound.

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