noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'
paying one's own expenses; at one's own expense
Used when someone covers costs themselves, without relying on others or an organization. Often appears as 自前で.
Please cover your own transportation costs.
Some employees bring their own personal computers.
noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'
self-employed; working independently; going into business for oneself
Refers to earning a living through one's own business or independent work, rather than as an employee. Can also describe the person themselves.
He quit his job and started his own business.
My dream is to have my own shop.
I paid for the business trip expenses myself.
She decided to open her own shop and become self-employed.
He brought in his own tools.
独立 means independence in a general sense, including starting one's own business, while 自前 stresses funding or running things oneself financially.
自弁 is a somewhat formal, old-fashioned word for covering one's own expenses, whereas 自前 is more common in everyday speech.
自営 is the standard business/tax term for being self-employed, while 自前 is a more casual way to describe someone working independently.
自費 emphasizes spending one's own money (e.g. 自費出版, 自費旅行), while 自前 focuses on the act of not depending on others to cover costs.
self-sufficiency principle; do-it-yourself approach
Compound of 自 (self) and 前 (front, before). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the meaning likely developed from 'in front of oneself' to 'by oneself' or 'at one's own expense.'