I want to double check the meaning of the sentence above. I have the word(s)
自分自身 and I need to use it in a sentence that expresses the essence of "please
be yourself." For context, the speaker is saying this to someone who hides
their true self, or wears a disguise, and is encouraging them to shed said
disguise or false self.

I understand from previous posts that 自分自身 is kind of a special expression of
"myself" but please let me know, is an incorrect usage of "自分自身" or is it just
something that would sound odd to a native Japanese speaker? What would you
use? (again the "自分自身" is essential...I have reasons, lol)
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-12T19:29:54.450
80627
2021-06-15T11:05:55.633
40296
question
meaning word-choice
自分自身らしくいてください (double checking the meaning)
自分自身 means 'oneself', 'myself' so we can say:

前向きに自分自身と向き合ってみてくださいね！ (Try to face yourself positively)  
自分自身を大切にしてくださいね！ (Take care of yourself)

I think 自分自身らしくいてください is weird because:

  * meaning of 自分 and 自分自身 is diffrent  
`自分`: 'myself', 'yourself', 'oneself', 'himself', 'herself'  
`自分自身`: 'oneself', 'myself'  
and although we translate it "by youself" maybe in japanese it's not.  
My japanese teacher tells me a lot not to translete from polish (my native
lang) or english to japanese but to think in japanese. Especially word meaning
can be tricky and not meaning what we think it means (that why using japanese
language dictionary is a good idea).  
I'm not sure but maybe for japanese it's more like 'be oneself' and that's why
is weird and better is 自分 or あなた.

* * *

I recommend japanese language dictionary (i use rikaikun extention for better
understanding):

  * 自分自身 -> <https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/word/%E8%87%AA%E5%88%86%E8%87%AA%E8%BA%AB/#jn-100330>
  * 自分 -> <https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/word/%E8%87%AA%E5%88%86/#jn-100316>
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-15T17:56:44.730
80670
2020-09-15T17:56:44.730
38695
80627
answer
For japanese `自分自身` means physically 'myself', form of myself not
hypothetically myself. For example when someone want make a pie and want
recipe from me, and I'm very good in making this pie. This person make this
pie and it's not that good. And I could say: 自分自身で作ったら、もっとよかったですね。(If I would
make it myself, it would be better). Of cource in this sancence 自分自身らしい saound
ridiculously, the same goes to your sentence.

That's why 自分自身らしい is incorect. Because らしい is an image, an idea.  
自分らしい it's correct if you want to say らしい. (if you want say 自分自身 so you need
to trop らしい , 自分自身でいてください, but in a most situation more natural is
自分らしく生きて(いて)ください). For example 自分らしい in a situation is doing what I usualy
would have done. So in example when I will do something diffrent than usual,
someone can tell me: あなたらしくない and I can say to myself 私(自分)らしくない.

I hope I explaned it better.
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-18T09:03:29.127
80719
2020-09-18T09:03:29.127
38695
80627
answer