燕雀安知鸿鹄之志 in English yan4 que4 an1 zhi1 hong2 hu2 zhi1 zhi4 Meaning

Meanings

• literally (word for word) can the sparrow and swallow know the will of the great swan? (idiomatic expression)
• metaphorically how can we small fry predict the ambitions of the great?

Pinyin

yan4 que4 an1 zhi1 hong2 hu2 zhi1 zhi4

Literal

Literal explanation, with pronunciation and meaning of each character.

燕yan4Yan, a vassal state of Zhou in modern Hebei and Liaoning 雀que4a freckle 安an1surname An 知zhi1to know 鸿hong2eastern bean goose 鹄gu3center or bull's eye of an archery target (old) 之zhi1(possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的[de5]) 志zhi4aspiration