Translation and Meaning of: 身 - mi

Etymology and meaning of the Kanji 「身」

The kanji 「身」 is used to represent the idea of "body," "myself," or "own." The etymology of this kanji dates back to ancient Chinese pictographic characters, which depicted the shape of a human body. In primitive times, it was common for characters to be created based on direct images of what they represented, and the kanji 「身」 is no exception to this rule.

Composed of seven strokes, 「身」 also carries figurative meanings, such as "state" or "social position." It is a kanji that encompasses a variety of uses in the Japanese language. It has two main component radicals: 「尸」 (which refers to "body") and a curved stroke representing a line of vital energy or force. This combination provides a rich historical basis for the kanji, symbolizing the human body as something full of vitality.

Variations and Linguistic Use of 「身」

In the modern context, 「身」 can appear in various expressions and compound words, further enriching its meaning and applicability. Here are some of the most common variations in the use of the kanji 「身」:

• 「自身」(jishin): meaning "own", frequently used to indicate possession or self-affirmation.
• 「出身」(shusshin): which refers to "origin" or "place of birth", is a common way of asking where a person is from.
• 「全身」(zenshin): translates to "whole body," used to describe something complete or total.

These variations illustrate how 「身」 is a fundamental piece in the construction of thought and the Japanese language, symbolizing both physicality and more abstract aspects of identity and status.

Cultural and Historical Origin of 「身」

Historically, throughout the dynasties in China, the concept of the body, embodied in the kanji 「身」, was closely tied to ideas of health, social status, and moral purity. In Japanese society, this perspective was integrated in a way that reflected not only individual perceptions of oneself but also the role of the individual within the collective and society as a whole.

Furthermore, in the Japanese tradition, body expression was often associated with codes of conduct, such as the discipline of the samurai, where the care for the body and mind were seen as one. Thus, the meaning of the kanji 「身」 transcended its mere graphic representation, becoming an essential part of Japan's cultural and linguistic identity.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 体 (Tai) - Corpo
• 肉体 (Nikutai) - Physical body, the material form of the body
• 身体 (Shintai) - Body, in a broader sense, possibly including spiritual aspects
• 姿 (Sugata) - Form, figure, external appearance
• 容姿 (Yōshi) - Appearance, especially external beauty
• 姿勢 (Shisei) - Posture, way of presenting oneself
• 様子 (Yōsu) - State, condition, general appearance of something or someone
• 格好 (Kakkō) - Form, way of dressing, style
• 身体的 (Shintaiteki) - Related to the body, physical
• 身体能力 (Shintainōryoku) - Physical ability, body skills

身

Romaji: mi
Kana: み
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n3

Translation / Meaning: body; main part; To yourself; sword

Meaning in English: body;main part;oneself;sword

Definition: own existence and appearance.

Example Sentences - (身) mi

See below some example sentences:

私は自分自身を篭って考える時間が必要です。

Watashi wa jibun jishin o komotte kangaeru jikan ga hitsuyōdesu

I need time to collect myself and think.

I need time to think and think about myself.

• 私 (watashi) - Japanese personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - topic particle that indicates the topic of the sentence
• 自分自身 (jibun jishin) - expression meaning "oneself"
• を (wo) - direct object particle that indicates the target of the action
• 篭って (kagotte) - gerund verb meaning "to be isolated"
• 考える (kangaeru) - verb meaning "to think"
• 時間 (jikan) - noun meaning "time"
• が (ga) - subject particle that indicates who performs the action
• 必要 (hitsuyou) - adjective meaning "necessary"
• です (desu) - auxiliary verb that indicates the present tense and formality

私の身の上はいつも忙しいです。

Watashi no mi no ue wa itsumo isogashii desu

My life is always busy.

I'm always busy with myself.

• 私 - personal pronoun meaning "I" in Japanese.
• の - particle indicating possession or relationship between two things.
• 身の上 - "Personal situation" or "life story".
• は - Particle that indicates the topic of the sentence.
• いつも - adverb that means "always".
• 忙しい - "Busy" or "agitated".
• です - Verb "to be" in polite form.

私の身体は健康です。

Watashi no karada wa kenkou desu

My body is healthy.

• 私 - The personal pronoun that means "I" in Japanese.
• の - particle that indicates possession or belonging
• 身体 - noun meaning "body" in Japanese
• は - Topic marker that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case, "o corpo"
• 健康 - adjective meaning "health" or "healthy" in Japanese
• です - verb to be in the present, indicating "the body is healthy"

私たちは常に自分自身を超えることができます。

Watashitachi wa tsuneni jibun jishin o koeru koto ga dekimasu

Sempre podemos ir além de nós mesmos.

• 私たちは - 「私たち」
• 常に - "Sempre" em japonês
• 自分自身を - "A si mesmo" em japonês
• 超えることができます - "Podemos superar" em japonês

私の弟は長大な身長があります。

Watashi no otōto wa chōdai na shinchō ga arimasu

Meu irmão tem uma altura alta.

Meu irmão tem uma longa altura.

• 私の弟 - "Meu irmão"
• は - Topic particle
• 長大な - "Alto, de grande estatura"
• 身長 - "Altura corporal"
• が - Subject particle
• あります - "Tem"

私の身長は一メートル六十センチです。

Watashi no shinchou wa ichi meetoru rokujuu senchi desu

My height is 1 meter and 60 centimeters.

My height is 60 cm per meter.

• 私の身長は - "Watashi no shinchou wa" means "My height is"
• 一メートル - "Ichi meetoru" means "One meter"
• 六十センチ - "Rokujuu senchi" means "Sixty centimeters"
• です - "Desu" is a particle that indicates the conclusion of the sentence and can be translated as "is" or "are"

私の身分は中流階級です。

Watashi no mibun wa chuuryuu kaikyuu desu

My status is a middle class.

• 私の身分 - "My social position"
• は - Topic particle
• 中流階級 - "Middle class"
• です - Polite form of "to be"

身なりがきちんとしている人は信頼できると思います。

Minarigashi ga kichinto shite iru hito wa shinrai dekiru to omoimasu

I think people dressed appropriately can be trusted.

• 身なり - aparência
• が - subject particle
• きちんと - properly, correctly
• している - be doing
• 人 - person
• は - Topic particle
• 信頼 - confiança
• できる - Be able to
• と - Quote particle
• 思います - believe, think