Definition
本身 (běn shēn) means 'itself / oneself', used after a noun to emphasize that thing or person's intrinsic nature (e.g., 问题本身 'the problem itself'). Unlike the reflexive 自己 (zì jǐ), 本身 cannot stand alone as an object or follow a pronoun (use 我自己 instead). 自身 (zì shēn) is similar but slightly more formal, while 本人 (běn rén) only refers to humans in formal/official contexts.
pronoun
itselfoneself (used after a noun to emphasize the thing or person itself)
Examples
- 本身。Zhè zhǒng yào běn shēn méiyǒu fùzuòyòng.This kind of medicine itself has no side effects.
- 本身，。Zhège wèntí běn shēn bìng bú fùzá, dàn shèjí hěnduō xìjié.This problem itself is not complicated, but involves many details.
- 本身？Nǐ běn shēn shì zěnme xiǎng de?What do you yourself think?
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