<p>自己的事情自己做 is a [topic + comment] sentence, the straight translation is</p>
<p>Topic: 自己的事情 = one's own thing,</p>
<p>Comment: 自己做 = (one must) do it oneself</p>
<p>Translators often use the passive voice when it sounds more natural than using the active voice</p>
<p>自己的事情自己做 can be translated as either sentence below</p>
<ul>
<li><p>&quot;one's own thing, (<em>must be</em>) done by oneself&quot; -- passive voice</p>
</li>
<li><p>&quot;one's own thing, (one <em>must</em>) do it oneself&quot; -- active voice</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p><em>&quot;do it myself&quot; is not a passive voice, myself is still the subject</em></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-10-14T13:15:17.717Z
2022-10-14T13:25:51.083Z
2022-10-14T13:25:51.083Z
Tang Ho
<blockquote>
<p>自己的事情自己做 (Do one's own things by oneself)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I've analyzed above Chinese sentence as follows using direct translation.</p>
<p>Oneself's matter must <strong>be done by oneself</strong></p>
<p>But there seems no passive voice structure in the initially given sentence, so my bold sentence is wrong, but as I read from left to right straightforward, <strong>oneself do</strong> can only be seen.</p>
<p>What grammatical knowledge am I missing?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-10-14T13:46:29.970Z
I noticed that I missed inserting 要 between 自己的事情 and 自己做.
But the website I found on internet omitted it somehow...
TG24
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-10-14T13:50:31.193Z
I've been still not accustomed to Chinese grammar so I think I've thrown my post with a trivial reason,so I'm sorry Tang Ho..
TG24
<grammar><word-order>
How can I parse 自己做 inside 自己的事情自己做? Seems no passive voice is used in it
# How can I parse 自己做 inside 自己的事情自己做? Seems no passive voice is used in it

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-10-14)

> 自己的事情自己做 (Do one's own things by oneself)

I've analyzed above Chinese sentence as follows using direct translation.

Oneself's matter must **be done by oneself**

But there seems no passive voice structure in the initially given sentence, so my bold sentence is wrong, but as I read from left to right straightforward, **oneself do** can only be seen.

What grammatical knowledge am I missing?

**Tags:** grammar, word-order

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I noticed that I missed inserting 要 between 自己的事情 and 自己做. But the website I found on internet omitted it somehow...  
> **username_0**: I've been still not accustomed to Chinese grammar so I think I've thrown my post with a trivial reason,so I'm sorry username_1..  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2022-10-14. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

自己的事情自己做 is a [topic + comment] sentence, the straight translation is

Topic: 自己的事情 = one's own thing,

Comment: 自己做 = (one must) do it oneself

Translators often use the passive voice when it sounds more natural than using the active voice

自己的事情自己做 can be translated as either sentence below

* "one's own thing, (*must be*) done by oneself" -- passive voice
* "one's own thing, (one *must*) do it oneself" -- active voice

*"do it myself" is not a passive voice, myself is still the subject*


---

