高瞻远瞩

Pronunciation: gāo zhān yuǎn zhǔ Literal meaning: Look far from a high place

Origin & Usage

High (高) looking (瞻), far (远) gazing (瞩) — a person on high ground, seeing distance rather than detail. The compliment is specifically about scale of view, and Chinese distinguishes it from cleverness: someone can be 高瞻远瞩 and quite wrong about particulars, which is often exactly what is meant. It suits founders, planners and statesmen, and it appears constantly in official writing. In ordinary conversation it is grand enough that it can tip into irony if the plan in question has not worked.

Examples

English: "The leader's vision for the future was clear and inspiring, guiding the team toward long-term success."

Chinese: 这位领导的远见卓识为团队指明了长期成功的方向。