Skip to content
道Nihongo Path

Word 1884 of 4449

Save Sign in to track

自業自得

じごうじとく

reaping what one sows

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Examples

  1. それは自業自得だ。

    それはじごうじとくだ。

    You reap what you sow.

  2. 練習を怠って負けたのだから自業自得だ。

    れんしゅうをおこたってまけたのだからじごうじとくだ。

    He lost because he skipped practice, so he brought it on himself.

  3. 借金で苦しんでいるが、自業自得と言うほかない。

    しゃっきんでくるしんでいるが、じごうじとくというほかない。

    He is suffering under his debts, but there is no other word for it than self-inflicted.

Common patterns

自業自得だ
he has only himself to blame
自業自得の結果
a self-inflicted outcome
まさに自業自得
exactly what he had coming

Memory tip

Buddhist: your own deeds (自業) bring your own gain (自得). It is used almost only of bad results, and it is cold — saying it to the person's face is harsh, so it usually appears as a third-party verdict.

Kanji in this word

Quick check

1 / 2Multiple choiceDifficulty 4 of 5

What does 自業自得 mean?