esikuvansa

Esikuvansa is a Finnish noun phrase meaning “one’s role model” or “the person someone looks to as an example.” It combines esikuva, meaning “model” or “example,” with the third-person possessive suffix -nsa, yielding a form that refers to the role model belonging to someone.

Etymology and form: Esikuva derives from esi- (“before”) and kuva (“image” or “picture”), signaling an image to imitate. The possessive suffix -nsa/-nsä marks the possessor in third person singular, and the exact spelling of -nsa/-nsä follows Finnish vowel harmony. Thus esikuvansa literally means “his/her/its role model.”

Usage: The phrase is used to identify the person someone regards as an ideal or standard. For example: “Hänen esikuvansa on tunnettu urheilija.” (“Her role model is a well-known athlete.”) and “Hän ihailee esikuvaansa.” (“He admires his role model.”) Another common use is to describe where a person’s inspiration comes from, as in “Monet nuoret löytävät esikuvansa perheestä tai julkisista henkilöistä.” (“Many young people find their role models in family or public figures.”)

Variants and related terms: The plural form esikuvat refers to multiple role models. The word esikuva can also be used more generally to mean “example” or “model,” not only in a personal sense.

See also: Role model, inspiration, Finnish language morphology.