How to Read “燕雀安んぞ鴻鵠の志を知らんや”
Enjaku izukun zo koukoku no kokorozashi wo shiran ya
Meaning of “燕雀安んぞ鴻鵠の志を知らんや”
This proverb means that people with small ambitions cannot understand the feelings of those who harbor great aspirations.
Just as small birds like swallows and sparrows cannot understand the ambition of large birds like swans and geese that seek to soar high in the vast sky, people with small capacity or those who only think about immediate matters cannot comprehend the mindset of those with grand ideals and lofty goals. This expression is used when one’s ambitions are not understood by those around them, or when people working toward great goals face criticism or lack of understanding. It is also used to express the feelings that ambitious people have toward those who do not understand them. Even today, it would often be used in situations where people with innovative ideas or bold challenges cannot gain understanding from those with conservative thinking.
Origin and Etymology
This proverb is said to originate from the words of Chen Sheng recorded in the Records of the Grand Historian of China. Chen Sheng was a rebellion leader of peasant origin during the late Qin dynasty period, who later initiated the Chen Sheng and Wu Guang Rebellion, China’s first peasant uprising.
According to the Records of the Grand Historian, Chen Sheng harbored great ambitions from his youth, but was not understood by those around him. It was during such times that he uttered the words “Swallows sparrows how swan goose’s ambition know.” This was used to mean that small birds like swallows and sparrows could not understand the lofty ambitions held by large birds like swans and geese.
These words were recorded as expressing a situation where those of low status, even when speaking of high ideals, are not understood by their surroundings. It was transmitted to Japan along with Chinese classics and became established as a proverb expressing the gap between high aspirations and surrounding understanding. It is said that it was particularly cherished as learning among the samurai class from the Edo period onward, and became frequently quoted among people aiming for advancement in life during the Meiji period.
Interesting Facts
I do not know any trivia related to this proverb.
Usage Examples
- Even when I talk about starting a business, my colleagues don’t understand at all – it’s truly “Swallows sparrows how swan goose’s ambition know”
- Seeing people laugh at his grand research plan, I thought it was a case of “Swallows sparrows how swan goose’s ambition know”
Modern Interpretation
In modern society, subtle changes have emerged in the interpretation of this proverb. In our information age, where diverse values and ways of life have come to be recognized, the very definition of “great ambition” has been changing.
Traditionally, advancement in life and improvement of social status tended to be considered the “swan goose’s ambition,” but in modern times, more diverse ideals such as environmental protection, social contribution, and the pursuit of work-life balance are recognized as “high ambitions.” While the spread of social media has made it easier to share individual aspirations and dreams, opportunities to be exposed to criticism and misunderstanding have also increased.
Moreover, in modern times, the meaning of “not being understood” has also become multi-layered. Rather than simply being a matter of ability or capacity, generational gaps, diversification of values, and subdivision of specialized fields often become barriers to understanding. Particularly in the technology field, there are numerous examples of innovative ideas that are initially difficult to understand but later bring about major changes to society.
On the other hand, criticism has also emerged regarding the “condescending” tone that this proverb carries. In modern times, where the attitude of respecting each person’s values is emphasized rather than simply judging differences in aspirations as superior or inferior, careful consideration is needed in how it is used.
When AI Hears This
While sparrows and other small birds are “stability-oriented” creatures that move in flocks over short distances, swans are “adventure-oriented” birds that migrate thousands of kilometers, often alone. This biological fact demonstrates that differences in human ambition are not simply matters of superiority or inferiority, but fundamental differences in survival strategies themselves, scientifically validating both the loneliness and inevitability of “misunderstood aspirations.”
Sparrows have a daily range of just a few kilometers and form flocks to share food sources. In other words, they follow a “survive safely together” strategy. Swans, on the other hand, migrate up to 8,000 kilometers annually and often pioneer unknown routes alone. This difference is reflected even in their brain structures.
What’s fascinating is that swans possess a “magnetic compass” function in their brains. They have developed specialized cells that detect Earth’s magnetic field to determine direction. In other words, creatures with far-reaching aspirations literally possess “sensory organs different from the ordinary.”
Even more remarkable is research showing that swans don’t experience increased stress hormones when they separate from their flock during migration. While sparrows would face drastically reduced survival rates if they lost their flock, swans have a physiological structure that makes them resilient to solitude.
This applies to human ambition as well. When people with great aspirations become isolated because others don’t understand them, it’s not simply bad luck. It may be the unavoidable destiny of those who carry the biological mission to “break new ground in uncharted territories.”
Lessons for Today
What this proverb teaches us in modern times might be “the importance of understanding each other” rather than the size of one’s ambitions. Certainly, having big dreams is a wonderful thing. However, at the same time, it also contains the danger of dismissing people with different values from oneself as “swallows and sparrows.”
What is truly important is probably to strive for constructive dialogue while respecting each other’s positions and ways of thinking. When your ambitions are not understood, rather than looking down on others, try thinking about how you can communicate them. And conversely, when there are people speaking of dreams you cannot understand, try listening to the feelings behind them.
In modern society, each individual has different “swan goose’s ambitions.” Building relationships where we can support each other so that each person’s ambitions can shine might be the modern lesson we can learn from this proverb. We should aim for a society where we can overcome the loneliness of not being understood and grow together.
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