mythical giant fish and bird; roc; great ambition
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesnoun
mythical giant fish and bird; the great roc (from Zhuangzi)
literaryDerived from Zhuangzi's 'Free and Easy Wandering' (逍遥游), where the giant fish Kun transforms into the giant bird Peng. Often used metaphorically to describe persons of great talent or lofty aspirations.
Kūn鲲
péng鹏
zhǎn展
chì翅
，
fú扶
yáo摇
zhí直
shàng上
jiǔ九
wàn万
lǐ里
。
The great roc spreads its wings, soaring straight up ninety thousand li.
Nián年
qīng轻
rén人
yīng应
dāng当
yǒu有
kūn鲲
péng鹏
zhī之
zhì志
，
bù不
yīng应
xū虚
dù度
guāng光
yīn阴
。
Young people should have the ambition of the great roc, not waste their time in vain.
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Zhuāng庄
zǐ子
bǐ笔
xià下
de的
kūn鲲
péng鹏
xiàng象
zhēng征
zhe着
chāo超
yuè越
fán凡
sú俗
de的
zì自
yóu由
。
The kun peng in Zhuangzi's writings symbolizes freedom that transcends the mundane.