燕雀安知鸿鹄志

燕雀安知鴻鵠志
yànquèānzhīhónghúzhì
  1. (figuratively) How can an ordinary person understand the ambitions of a great person?
  2. How can an ordinary person understand the ambitions of a great person?

Wiktionary

Entry Composition

1 燕雀 yànquè
  1. (bird species of China) brambling (Fringilla montifringilla)
  2. (fig.) small fry
=2 安 Ān surname An
=2 安 ān
  1. (bound form) calm; peaceful
  2. to calm; to set at ease
  3. safe; secure; in good health
  4. content; satisfied (as in 安于 ānyú)
  5. to place (sb) in a suitable position (job)
  6. to install; to fix; to fit
  7. to bring (a charge against sb)
  8. to harbor (certain intentions)
  9. ampere (abbr. for 安培 ānpéi)
=3 知 zhī
  1. to know
  2. to be aware
=3 知 zhì
  1. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) Original form of 智 (zhì, “knowing, wisdom, intelligence”).
  2. Original form of 智 (zhì, “knowing, wisdom, intelligence”).
4 鸿鹄 hónghú
  1. swan
  2. person with noble aspirations
=5 志 zhì
  1. aspiration
  2. ambition
  3. the will
=5 志 zhì
  1. sign
  2. mark
  3. to record
  4. to write a footnote