自給自足
自給自足（じきゅうじそく // self-sufficiency）
自給自足, which refers to "(independently) providing for oneself (e.g. by growing one's own food)," is one of my favorite 四字熟語.
I suppose it's because I often dream of leaving the computer screens behind me to go live on a farm or something.
Realistic? Perhaps not. But certainly fun to think about.
Initially, you might be a little bit thrown off by the kanji-by-kanji breakdown using the Heisig meanings:
自 (oneself)
給 (salary)
自 (oneself)
足 (leg)
First, let's get the issue of 足 (leg) out of the way. This kanji can also mean "be sufficient," such as in the verb 足りる (たりる // to be sufficient; to be enough).
And, while it's not too much of a stretch to see how "salary" could refer to providing for oneself, it it worth noting that the kanji 給 can also mean something like "provision," as in the word 給食 (きゅうしょく // provided lunch [e.g. at school]).
So, we have:
自 (oneself)
給 (provision)
自 (oneself)
足 (sufficient)
...which means that being "self-sufficient" is when the "provisions" (給) provided by "oneself" (自) are "sufficient" (足) for "oneself (自), yeah?
Let's look at a couple of examples:
田舎に引っ越して自給自足の生活がしたい。
いなか に ひっこして じきゅうじそく の せいかつ が したい。
I want to move to the countryside and live off the land.
Literally: “countryside + に + move (and) + self-sufficiency + の + life + が + want to do.”
彼らは衣食住すべてを自給自足している。
かれら は いしょくじゅう すべて を じきゅうじそく している。
They provide everything for themselves. // They provide all of their own food, shelter, and so on.
Literally: “they + は + life’s necessities (lit. “clothing-food-dwelling”) + all + を + self-sufficiency + are doing.”
↑ Sounds awesome. But I can't help but wonder if this includes Wi-Fi...
Meaning of 自：oneself
Heisig Keyword: oneself
自分で前髪を切った。
じぶん で まえがみ を きった。
I cut my own bangs.
Literally: “oneself + で + bangs + を + cut.”
Meaning of 給：wage, salary, provision
Heisig Keyword: salary
今日の給食はカレーうどんでした。
きょう の きゅうしょく は カレーうどん でした。
Today’s lunch was curry udon.
Literally: “today + の + provided lunch (e.g. at school) + は + curry udon + でした.”
Meaning of 自：oneself
Heisig Keyword: oneself
日本は自殺が多い。
にほん は じさつ が おおい。
Japan has many suicides.
Literally: “Japan + は + suicides + が + many.”
Meaning of 足：leg, foot, be sufficient
Heisig Keyword: leg
チクショー、２０円足りない！
チクショー、 にじゅう えん たりない！
Dammit, I’m 20 yen short!
Literally: “dammit + 20 yen + not enough.”
To wrap things up, here are our 自給自足 examples again:
田舎に引っ越して自給自足の生活がしたい。
いなか に ひっこして じきゅうじそく の せいかつ が したい。
I want to move to the countryside and live off the land.
Literally: “countryside + に + move (and) + self-sufficiency + の + life + が + want to do.”
彼らは衣食住すべてを自給自足している。
かれら は いしょくじゅう すべて を じきゅうじそく している。
They provide everything for themselves. // They provide all of their own food, shelter, and so on.
Literally: “they + は + life’s necessities (lit. “clothing-food-dwelling”) + all + を + self-sufficiency + are doing.”
And now you're done!
自給自足, which refers to "(independently) providing for oneself (e.g. by growing one's own food)," is one of my favorite 四字熟語.
I suppose it's because I often dream of leaving the computer screens behind me to go live on a farm or something.
Realistic? Perhaps not. But certainly fun to think about.
Initially, you might be a little bit thrown off by the kanji-by-kanji breakdown using the Heisig meanings:
自 (oneself)
給 (salary)
自 (oneself)
足 (leg)
First, let's get the issue of 足 (leg) out of the way. This kanji can also mean "be sufficient," such as in the verb 足りる (たりる // to be sufficient; to be enough).
And, while it's not too much of a stretch to see how "salary" could refer to providing for oneself, it it worth noting that the kanji 給 can also mean something like "provision," as in the word 給食 (きゅうしょく // provided lunch [e.g. at school]).
So, we have:
自 (oneself)
給 (provision)
自 (oneself)
足 (sufficient)
...which means that being "self-sufficient" is when the "provisions" (給) provided by "oneself" (自) are "sufficient" (足) for "oneself (自), yeah?
Let's look at a couple of examples:
田舎に引っ越して自給自足の生活がしたい。
いなか に ひっこして じきゅうじそく の せいかつ が したい。
I want to move to the countryside and live off the land.
Literally: “countryside + に + move (and) + self-sufficiency + の + life + が + want to do.”
彼らは衣食住すべてを自給自足している。
かれら は いしょくじゅう すべて を じきゅうじそく している。
They provide everything for themselves. // They provide all of their own food, shelter, and so on.
Literally: “they + は + life’s necessities (lit. “clothing-food-dwelling”) + all + を + self-sufficiency + are doing.”
↑ Sounds awesome. But I can't help but wonder if this includes Wi-Fi...
Meaning of 自：oneself
Heisig Keyword: oneself
自分で前髪を切った。
じぶん で まえがみ を きった。
I cut my own bangs.
Literally: “oneself + で + bangs + を + cut.”
Meaning of 給：wage, salary, provision
Heisig Keyword: salary
今日の給食はカレーうどんでした。
きょう の きゅうしょく は カレーうどん でした。
Today’s lunch was curry udon.
Literally: “today + の + provided lunch (e.g. at school) + は + curry udon + でした.”
Meaning of 自：oneself
Heisig Keyword: oneself
日本は自殺が多い。
にほん は じさつ が おおい。
Japan has many suicides.
Literally: “Japan + は + suicides + が + many.”
Meaning of 足：leg, foot, be sufficient
Heisig Keyword: leg
チクショー、２０円足りない！
チクショー、 にじゅう えん たりない！
Dammit, I’m 20 yen short!
Literally: “dammit + 20 yen + not enough.”
To wrap things up, here are our 自給自足 examples again:
田舎に引っ越して自給自足の生活がしたい。
いなか に ひっこして じきゅうじそく の せいかつ が したい。
I want to move to the countryside and live off the land.
Literally: “countryside + に + move (and) + self-sufficiency + の + life + が + want to do.”
彼らは衣食住すべてを自給自足している。
かれら は いしょくじゅう すべて を じきゅうじそく している。
They provide everything for themselves. // They provide all of their own food, shelter, and so on.
Literally: “they + は + life’s necessities (lit. “clothing-food-dwelling”) + all + を + self-sufficiency + are doing.”
And now you're done!
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