self-preservation; looking out for oneself; putting one's own safety first
Idiomatic expression emphasizing that one's own well-being or safety is the top priority, often used in contexts of danger or self-interest.
In a disaster, it's natural to flee out of self-preservation.
彼の行動は我が身可愛さから出たものだ。
His actions stemmed from looking out for himself.
自己保身 is a more formal, compound noun for self-protection or self-preservation, while 我が身可愛さ is an idiomatic, slightly emotional expression.
身勝手 means selfishness in a negative sense, whereas 我が身可愛さ can be neutral or even justified in dangerous situations.
Standard kanji-kana mixed spelling.
Variant with かわいさ in kana.
From 我が身 (one's own body/self) + 可愛さ (preciousness, lovableness), literally 'the preciousness of one's own self'.