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    Chinese Grammar

    Expressing 'itself' with 本身 (běnshēn)

    Emphasis
    Topic & Focus

    Structure

    Noun + 本身

    Explanation

    本身 (běnshēn) means "itself," "in itself," or "per se," and is used to emphasize the intrinsic nature of something apart from external factors. It is placed directly after the noun it refers to. For example, 汤本身 means "the soup itself," drawing attention to the soup's own qualities rather than its accompaniments.

    Examples

    • 这道菜的食材本身就很新鲜，不需要太多调料。

      Zhè dào cài de shícái běnshēn jiù hěn xīnxiān, bù xūyào tài duō tiáoliào.

      The ingredients of this dish are already very fresh, so not much seasoning is needed.

    • 学习本身就是一件快乐的事情。

      Xuéxí běnshēn jiù shì yī jiàn kuàilè de shìqíng.

      Learning itself is a joyful thing.

    • 问题本身并不复杂，只是大家想多了。

      Wèntí běnshēn bìng bù fùzá, zhǐshì dàjiā xiǎng duō le.

      The problem itself isn't complicated; people are just overthinking it.

    Often Confused With

    Expressing 'itself' with 本身 (běnshēn) | Chinese Grammar