other N2 common casualpolitewritten

〜自体 — itself / in itself

〜自体・じたい

Meaning

~ itself / ~ in itself — points at the thing on its own, as distinct from its circumstances or parts

計画けいかく自体じたいは悪わるくないが、実行じっこうが難むずかしい。

The plan itself isn't bad, but carrying it out is hard.

Attaches to	Form	Example
Noun + 自体	N + 自体	問題もんだい自体じたい / 存在そんざい自体じたい

彼かれが来くたこと自体じたいが、驚おどろきだった。

The very fact that he came was a surprise.

ルール自体じたいを見直みなおす必要ひつようがある。

We need to reexamine the rule itself.

Isolates the thing from what's around it: 'the X part, never mind the rest'. Often flags that the core thing is fine/flawed while the trouble lies elsewhere (or vice versa).

Jengo shows 〜自体 the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.

Sources Compiled with reference to A Dictionary of Advanced Japanese Grammar.