# 自作自受

zì zuò zì shòu

Suffer the consequences of one's own actions

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Do it oneself and bear it oneself

**Register:** Critical · conversational

[Choices & judgment](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/decisions)

## When to use it

Describe self-caused trouble.

Can sound unsympathetic toward hardship.

## Understanding the expression

The same person both creates the action and receives its unpleasant result. Modern use points to consequences caused by poor choices, carelessness, or wrongdoing. It can be a resigned comment about oneself or a harsh judgment of someone else. The connection between action and outcome should be real. People often face mixed causes and limited options, so calling all hardship self caused can overlook circumstances outside their control entirely.

## Examples

他不备份，丢文件也是自作自受。

### Traditional Chinese

他不備份，丟文件也是自作自受。

tā bú bèi fèn ， diū wén jiàn yě shì zì zuò zì shòu 。

Not backing up left him suffering his own mistake.

我熬夜太久，今天困是自作自受。

wǒ áo yè tài jiǔ ， jīn tiān kùn shì zì zuò zì shòu 。

I stayed up too late, so today's tiredness is self caused.

她不愿把所有困境都说成自作自受。

### Traditional Chinese

她不願把所有困境都說成自作自受。

tā bú yuàn bǎ suǒ yǒu kùn jìng dōu shuō chéng zì zuò zì shòu 。

She will not label every hardship self caused.

骗人失去信任，确实自作自受。

### Traditional Chinese

騙人失去信任，確實自作自受。

piàn rén shī qù xìn rèn ， què shí zì zuò zì shòu 。

Losing trust through lying is suffering one's own consequences.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 6, 2026.

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E8%87%AA%E4%BD%9C%E8%87%AA%E5%8F%97)

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=250&webMd=1&la=0)

## Keep exploring

- [走投无路 zǒu tóu wú lù Have no viable way out ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/zou-tou-wu-lu)

- [作茧自缚 zuò jiǎn zì fù Trap oneself through one's own actions ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/zuo-jian-zi-fu)

- [按图索骥 àn tú suǒ jì Search by following a description or guide ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/an-tu-suo-ji)

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