himself
himself — pronoun
1. Points back to the male subject of the sentence, showing that he does the action
Points back to the male subject of the sentence, showing that he does the action and receives the result at the same time — for instance, a man cutting his own finger while cooking.
Jude cut himself while chopping vegetables for the stir-fry.
reflexive: verb + himself (object = subject)
Hassan introduced himself to the new neighbours at the welcome party.
Ryan taught himself to play the guitar using online video lessons.
Samir asked himself whether he had made the right decision about the job.
After the long run, Cole poured himself a large glass of cold water.
文法句型
verb + himself (object = subject)
用法筆記
Frequently used with grooming verbs (shave, wash, dress), injury verbs (cut, hurt, burn), and cognitive verbs (ask, tell, convince). Can also act as an indirect object as in 'poured himself a drink.'
常見錯誤
2. Placed immediately after a male noun or pronoun to highlight that this person —
Placed immediately after a male noun or pronoun to highlight that this person — and not someone else — is the one involved in the action.
The mayor himself came to inspect the damaged bridge after the storm.
emphatic: noun + himself after the subject
James himself admitted that the plan had serious problems from the start.
Esteban himself painted the entire mural over a single weekend.
The headmaster himself called Benjamin's parents to discuss the incident.
Professor Okonkwo gave the award to the author himself at the ceremony.
文法句型
noun + himself
pronoun + himself
用法筆記
Common with titles and roles (the president himself, the doctor himself, the teacher himself) to add authority or surprise. Works in subject and object positions.
常見錯誤
❌ 'He himself did it.' is grammatically correct but can sound redundant — in speech, stress on 'He' alone often carries the emphasis.
3. When a male acts without any company or without the assistance of other people —
When a male acts without any company or without the assistance of other people — the phrase 'by himself' can refer to either solitude or independent effort.
Hao moved all the furniture by himself while his wife was at work.
by himself = without help
Benjamin prefers to study by himself in the library rather than in a group.
by himself = alone
Vivek built the wooden bookshelf by himself using only basic hand tools.
The old man lived by himself in a small cottage near the lake.
Kevin carried the heavy suitcase up the stairs by himself.
- alone
focuses on solitude; does not imply lack of help
- on his own
covers both solitude and independence, similar to 'by himself'
- together with others
opposite of being alone
- with help
opposite of doing something without assistance
文法句型
by himself
用法筆記
The context determines whether 'by himself' means 'alone' or 'without help' — and sometimes both apply. For clarity, 'all by himself' can be used for extra emphasis on solitude.
常見錯誤
❌ 'He went by himself to the store' can mean either 'alone' or 'without help' — context is needed to tell which. Add 'all' ('all by himself') if you want to stress solitude.
4. Used to say that a male person can use, occupy, or enjoy something without havin
Used to say that a male person can use, occupy, or enjoy something without having to share it with anyone else at all.
The professor had the study all to himself during the summer break.
all to himself = for his exclusive use
The young groom wanted the rooftop garden to himself for the evening party.
Christopher kept the last piece of chocolate cake all to himself.
Daichi had the entire home office to himself while his family was on a trip.
- for himself alone
more formal; less common in everyday speech
文法句型
have something (all) to himself
用法筆記
Often appears with 'all' to strengthen the idea of sole possession (e.g. 'all to himself'). Common with verbs of possession like have, keep, get, and reserve.
5. Said when a man seems or feels less happy, less healthy, or less like his normal
Said when a man seems or feels less happy, less healthy, or less like his normal character than usual — as in being unusually quiet, irritable, or withdrawn.
Hassan hasn't been himself since he lost his job last month.
not himself = not feeling normal
I knew something was wrong when Emre was not himself at dinner.
His wife noticed that he just was not himself after returning from the trip.
Ari seemed quiet and distant — clearly not himself that evening.
After a good night of sleep, the elderly man felt himself again and went back to work.
- out of sorts
informal; suggests mild irritation or discomfort rather than deep unhappiness
- himself again
restored to normal state of mind or health
文法句型
be not himself
be himself
用法筆記
Usually appears with the verb 'be' in negative form ('not himself'). The positive form ('he is himself again') signals a return to normal after illness or difficulty.
常見錯誤
6. Used to describe a man whose behaviour or mood is affected by a physical illness
Used to describe a man whose behaviour or mood is affected by a physical illness — for instance, being confused, weak, or acting strangely because of a high fever or infection.
With the high fever, Kevin was not himself and kept asking the same questions.
not himself + with [illness]
The doctor said that when a patient is not himself from the flu, rest is the best cure.
Benjamin was not himself with the stomach bug and could barely get out of bed.
Asher was not himself after the strong medication and needed help walking to the bathroom.
文法句型
be not himself + with/from [illness]
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 5: sense 6 is tied directly to a physical illness (named with 'with' or 'from'), whereas sense 5 covers emotional and mental states. If the cause is a clear physical symptom or disease, use sense 6.
常見錯誤
❌ 'He is not himself with sadness.' — sadness is an emotion, not a physical illness. Use sense 5 for emotional causes.
7. Found in older English, where 'himself' was used as a gender-neutral reflexive p
Found in older English, where 'himself' was used as a gender-neutral reflexive pronoun when the subject's gender was unknown or unimportant — for example, 'everyone must ask himself.' Modern English typically uses 'themselves' instead.
In older textbooks, a student was told that each person must prepare himself for the exam.
dated: generic masculine pronoun
The original rule said that every employee should conduct himself with honesty at all times.
A classic but now dated sentence reads: 'Everyone should ask himself what he can contribute.'
Modern style guides recommend 'everyone should ask themselves' instead of using 'himself' for everyone.
- themselves
standard modern gender-neutral reflexive pronoun
- himself or herself
formal alternative that explicitly includes both genders
文法句型
each + noun + himself
one + verb + himself
用法筆記
This usage is now widely considered outdated and potentially exclusive. For academic or professional writing, use 'themselves,' 'himself or herself,' or rephrase the sentence to avoid a pronoun altogether.