胸怀大志
胸怀大志 (xiōng huái dà zhì) literally means “harbor grand ambitions” and expresses “aim high”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving success and perseverance.
Also searched as: xiong huai da zhi, xiong huai da zhi,胸怀大志 meaning, 胸怀大志 in english
Aim high
Pronunciation: xiōng huái dà zhì Literal meaning: Harbor grand ambitions
Origin & Usage
To carry (怀) great (大) ambition (志) in the chest (胸). Chinese consistently locates aspiration in the chest cavity rather than the head, which is why the same 胸 appears in 心胸开阔 for tolerance and 胸有成竹 for a plan already formed. The phrase describes ambition that is held rather than announced, and its natural setting is biography — it is the standard thing to say about someone's early years, once the later years have justified it.
Examples
English: "With his dreams of becoming an entrepreneur, he has always had big aspirations for his future."
Chinese: 他一直怀有成为企业家的梦想，对未来有着伟大的抱负。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about success & perseverance
虚怀若谷
xū huái ruò gǔ
Stay humble and open
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坐怀不乱
zuò huái bù luàn
Maintain perfect integrity despite temptation
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胸有丘壑
xiōng yǒu qiū hè
Have great vision
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昂首挺胸
áng shǒu tǐng xiōng
Walk proudly; show confidence
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有志者事竟成
yǒu zhì zhě shì jìng chéng
Perseverance leads to success
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志在四方
zhì zài sì fāng
Broad aspirations
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鸿鹄之志
hóng hú zhī zhì
Great aspirations
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胸有成竹
xiōng yǒu chéng zhú
Have clear plan beforehand
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 胸怀大志 mean in English?
胸怀大志 (xiōng huái dà zhì) literally translates to “Harbor grand ambitions” and is used to express “Aim high”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Success & Perseverance category.
When is 胸怀大志 used?
Situation: With his dreams of becoming an entrepreneur, he has always had big aspirations for his future.
What is the pinyin for 胸怀大志?
The pinyin pronunciation for 胸怀大志 is “xiōng huái dà zhì”.