ego, I, selfish, our, oneself
我 centers on the self as a distinct entity: the first-person 'I', the ego, or a sense of self-importance. The meanings 'our' and 'oneself' extend naturally from this self-focused perspective.
我 originally depicted a type of weapon, possibly a saw-toothed blade or a halberd. Over time it was borrowed phonetically to represent the first-person pronoun 'I' or 'self', and its original weapon meaning faded.
The shape resembles a hand grasping a weapon (戈), suggesting a self-assertive stance: 'I' am the one holding the weapon, emphasizing ego and self.
For ガ, imagine a self-centered person shouting 'GA!' to draw attention to themselves: the sharp 'GA' sound cues ガ while the ego is on full display.
my; our; one's own
endurance; patience; perseverance; bearing (with something)
we
injury; wound
I; me
one's house; one's home; one's family
we; us
ego
selfish; egoist
myself; oneself
one's own child; one's own children
junk; rubbish; trash; garbage; odds and ends
I; me; myself
reckless; daredevil; frantic; foolhardy
losing oneself (in); being absorbed (in); forgetting oneself
self-taught method; one's own way; one's own style
looking or acting as if one owned the place
selflessness; self-effacement; self-renunciation
(very) patient; persevering
one's house; one's home; one's family