itself

itself — pronoun

1. Reflects the action back to a non-human subject — the performer of the verb and

1.代名詞A2
釋義

Reflects the action back to a non-human subject — the performer of the verb and the receiver are the same entity.

例句

The laptop turned itself off after running out of battery.

reflexive: it + verb + itself

The puppy hurt itself while jumping off the sofa.

reflexive: animal + verb + itself

文法句型

it + verb + itself

it + verb + preposition + itself

用法筆記

Only use this form when the subject of the sentence is 'it' or represents a single thing, animal, or idea. For people, use 'himself', 'herself', or 'themselves'. For plural things, use 'themselves'.

常見錯誤

❌The dog washed and itself dried.
✅The dog washed itself and then dried itself.
💡The reflexive pronoun must come directly after the verb it relates to, not separated by 'and'.
❌The company itself is growing fast' (when meaning the company is growing without help).
✅The company is growing by itself' (without help) or 'The company itself is growing fast' (emphasizing the company).
💡The reflexive pronoun and the emphatic pronoun have different meanings.

2. Placed directly after a noun to highlight that specific thing — often to contras

2.代名詞B1
釋義

Placed directly after a noun to highlight that specific thing — often to contrast it with surrounding details or to stress a fact about that thing in particular.

例句

The building itself is quite small, but the garden behind it is huge.

emphatic: [noun] + itself

The idea itself is not bad, but the plan needs more work.

文法句型

[noun phrase] + itself

[noun phrase] + itself + verb

用法筆記

In this emphatic sense, 'itself' can be removed from the sentence and the grammar stays correct — it only adds emphasis. This differs from the reflexive sense (sense 1), where removing 'itself' changes the meaning because the verb needs an object.

常見錯誤

❌The dog itself cleaned' (when meaning the dog cleaned its own body).
✅The dog cleaned itself.
💡For the reflexive meaning, 'itself' must follow the verb as its object. Placing 'itself' after the subject creates an emphatic meaning instead.

3. Alone, without help from anyone or anything else, or without anything else being

3.代名詞A2
釋義

Alone, without help from anyone or anything else, or without anything else being added.

例句

The little robot can navigate the room by itself using its sensors.

idiom: by itself (without help)

The door swung open by itself when the wind picked up.

同義詞
  • alone

    Emphasizes being separate from others; 'by itself' adds the idea of independent action.

  • on its own

    Same meaning as 'by itself', slightly more informal.

  • automatically

    Used when something happens without a person's action; narrower meaning.

反義詞
  • with help

    Direct opposite — with assistance from someone or something else.

文法句型

by itself

用法筆記

The phrase 'by itself' is a fixed expression. It can mean either 'without help' or 'automatically / without any outside cause'. The context tells you which meaning applies.

常見錯誤

❌The cat by itself caught the mouse.' (unnatural word order).
✅The cat caught the mouse by itself.
💡'By itself' goes after the verb phrase, not before it.
❌The door opened by his own.
✅The door opened by itself.
💡Use 'itself' for things; 'himself/herself' for people.

4. Kept for the exclusive use of a particular thing, so that nothing else shares it

4.代名詞B2
釋義

Kept for the exclusive use of a particular thing, so that nothing else shares it.

例句

The research team has a whole floor to itself in the new science building.

idiom: [noun] + to itself

Each department keeps a small budget for itself to cover unexpected costs.

同義詞
  • exclusively

    Formal adverb meaning for only one person or group.

  • on its own

    Can sometimes overlap, but 'on its own' more commonly means 'without help' than 'exclusively'.

反義詞
  • shared

    Used by more than one person or group together.

文法句型

to itself

for itself

用法筆記

This sense usually appears in the pattern 'has [something] to itself' or 'keeps [something] for itself'. It describes exclusive access or ownership for a particular thing or group.

常見錯誤

❌The room is for itself.' (incomplete).
✅Each guest room has a bathroom to itself.
💡The phrase 'to itself' needs a verb like 'has' or 'keeps', and describes what is kept exclusively.