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自荐 (zì jiàn) — to recommend oneself (for a job); to introduce oneself (in a professional context)

Definition

自荐 means to recommend or put yourself forward, typically for a job or project. It has a formal, professional tone — stronger and more active than simply 介绍自己 (introduce oneself).

verb
to recommend oneself (for a job)to introduce oneself (in a professional context)

Examples

  • 。
    Wǒ xiě xìn lái zì jiàn xiāo shòu jīng lǐ de zhí wèi.
    I am writing to recommend myself for the position of sales manager.
  • 自荐。
    Qǐng yǔn xǔ wǒ zì jiàn yí xià.
    Please allow me to introduce myself.
  • 自荐。
    Wǒ zì jiàn zhè ge gōng zuò jī huì.
    I recommend myself for this job opportunity.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
主谓zhǔwèiSubject + predicate

A small sentence frozen into a word: something, and what it does or is.

自zìself
荐jiànrecommend

自 points to oneself, and 荐 means to recommend, giving the sense of recommending oneself for a role.

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 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 薦; 荐 is its simplified writing.

  • 艸艸cǎograss
  • 廌廌zhìwild beast

The traditional form 薦 combines 艸 (grass) and 廌 (wild beast) to show a pasture. It was later borrowed for its sound to mean 'recommend'.

Open 荐 →
Appears in
Workplace & Office

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