自许 is a formal, literary verb meaning 'to consider oneself (to be something)' or 'to pride oneself on (a quality, achievement, or role)'. It combines the characters 自 (zì), meaning 'self', and 许 (xǔ), meaning 'to permit' or 'to acknowledge' — together suggesting a self-acknowledgment or self-authorization of a certain status or trait. Unlike casual expressions like 我觉得 (I think), 自许 carries connotation of confidence, sometimes bordering on arrogance, and is often used in written Chinese, biographies, historical texts, or rhetorical speech.

This word typically appears before a noun or noun phrase indicating the identity or attribute one claims — for example, 自许为学者 (prides oneself on being a scholar). It is rarely used in spoken, everyday conversation and almost never with pronouns like 我; instead, it functions impersonally or in third-person descriptions. Because of its elevated register, learners should avoid using it in informal chats or emails unless imitating classical or journalistic style.