自 zì — (bound form) self; oneself; from; since

A way to remember it

A nose, drawn from the front with the bridge and nostrils. Chinese speakers point at the nose rather than the chest to mean "me", and the character followed: 自 now means self.

A picture that makes the shape stick — not a claim about the character’s history.

Draft — written with AI help and not yet read by a person. What that means.