癞蛤蟆想吃天鹅肉 in English lai4 ha2 ma5 xiang3 chi1 tian1 e2 rou4 Meaning

Meanings

  • literally (word for word) the toad wants to eat swan meat (idiomatic expression)
  • metaphorically to try to punch above one's weight

Simplified Characters

癞 蛤 蟆 想 吃 天 鹅 肉

Traditional Characters

癩 蛤 蟆 想 吃 天 鵝 肉

Pinyin

lai4 ha2 ma5 xiang3 chi1 tian1 e2 rou4

Literal

Literal explanation, with pronunciation and meaning of each character.

癞lai4scabies 蛤ha2clam 蟆ma2toad 想xiang3to think 吃chi1to eat 天tian1day 鹅e2variant of 鵝|鹅[e2] 肉rou4meat