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I'm currently in the middle of reading this one magazine feature, and I came
across this sentence --

> " [...] 多くの方にも認めてもらえるような。 **そのために、"個" としての自分をもっともっと磨いていきたいですね。** ”

I know that "個" is kanji for a generic counter, but I've never encountered it
being used on its own in a sentence before.
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2018-01-02T17:27:01.877
55622
2018-01-03T06:18:24.403
2018-01-03T06:18:24.403
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question
grammar translation words usage
How was "個" used in this sentence?
In this case 個 represents 'an individual', as in:

> I want to be more individual.
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2018-01-02T17:38:04.447
55623
2018-01-02T17:43:12.710
2018-01-02T17:43:12.710
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answer
「個{こ}」, in this context, means " ** _an individual (as an independent
existence)_** " as opposed to a member/component of a group or society.

Thus, 「"個" としての自分{じぶん}をもっともっと磨{みが}いていきたい」 means:

"I wish to keep improving my skills as an individual"

or simply

"I wish to keep becoming a better person"

This 「個」 is quite often used when talking about oneself (or another person) in
a philosophical manner. 「個人{こじん}」 would be a synonym even though 「個」 sounds
more philosophical.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-02T20:29:21.570
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2018-01-02T20:35:36.970
2018-01-02T20:35:36.970
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answer