燕雀焉知鴻鵠之志 yàn què yān zhī hóng gǔ zhī zhì

DEFINITIONS

  1. lit. can the sparrow and swallow know the will of the great swan? (idiom); fig. how can we small fry predict the ambitions of the great?

CHARACTERS

燕 yàn swallow (bird); comfort, enjoy
雀 què
HSK 6
sparrow
焉 yān thereupon, then; how? why? where?
知 zhī
HSK 2
know, perceive, comprehend
鴻 hóng species of wild swan; vast
鵠 gǔ target
之 zhī
HSK 4
marks preceding phrase as modifier of following phrase; it, him her, them; go to
志 zhì
HSK 4
purpose, will, determination; annals