Yukichi defined the word in Article 2 of "Shushin yoryo" as 'a person who keeps both mentally and physically independent and respects himself without losing dignity as a person is a man of dokuritsujison.'
その意味は「心身の独立を全うし、自らその身を尊重して、人たるの品位を辱めざるもの、之を独立自尊の人と云ふ」（『修身要領』第二条）。