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自画自賛 (じがじさん) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

自じ画が自じ賛さん

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Meanings

1

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', transitive verb

self-praise; singing one's own praises; blowing one's own horn

yojijukugo (four-character idiom)

Refers to praising oneself or one's own work, often with a negative connotation of being boastful. Commonly used as a noun or with する.

彼かれのスピーチは自じ画が自じ賛さんばかりで、聞きいていて恥はずかしくなった。
His speech was nothing but self-praise, and it was embarrassing to listen to.

自じ画が自じ賛さんするわけじゃないけど、この企き画かくはよくできたと思おもう。

I don't mean to blow my own horn, but I think this project turned out well.

Written forms

自じ画が自じ賛さん
Standard kanji form; a yojijukugo meaning self-praise.
自じ画が自じ讃さん
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used variant with 讃 instead of 賛.

Kanji

自oneself
画brush-stroke, picture
賛approve, praise, title or inscription on picture
讃praise, title on a picture

Similar words

自じ慢まん
自慢 is a more general term for boasting or pride, while 自画自賛 specifically emphasizes praising one's own achievements or creations, often in a self-congratulatory manner.
手て前まえ味み噌そ
手前味噌 is a humble expression used when praising one's own work, similar to 'tooting one's own horn', whereas 自画自賛 can be used more objectively to describe self-praise without the humble nuance.

Etymology

A yojijukugo composed of 自 (self), 画 (picture/plan), 自 (self), and 賛 (praise). Originally referred to an artist praising their own painting, but now broadly means self-praise.