Meaning & usage
そのもの after a noun presents that person or thing as the very embodiment of the noun, often translated as honesty itself or kindness itself. It attaches directly to a noun without の, as in 正直そのもの or 元気そのもの, and is often followed by だ, です, or である to make a predicate. Used alone, そのもの can refer back to something already mentioned to mean that very thing in its unchanged state, and the expression has a slightly formal, emphatic tone.
Example sentences 5
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彼は善良そのものである。
He is the epitome of goodness.
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彼は、正直そのものだ。
He is honesty itself.
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彼は高潔そのものだ。
He is the soul of honor.
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その子どもは元気そのものです。
That kid is a little bundle of energy.
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彼の話は単純そのものだった。
His story was simplicity itself.
In past JLPT papers
This came up in 2 past exam questions.
