自分

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 自分 is read as じぶん and is a noun or pronominal expression for oneself or the self identified by context.
• Basic usage: Possession appears in 自分の荷物, while doing something oneself appears in 自分で持つ.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Reference determined by context
  • Its referent depends on the sentence’s subject and situation, so it does not invariably mean the speaker.
• Difference from 私
  • 私 ordinarily identifies the speaker as first person, while 自分 primarily refers back to the self determined in context.