old hero still ambitious; veteran with unfulfilled ambitions
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesidiom
an old steed in the stable still aspires to gallop a thousand li; metaphor for a person who, though advanced in years, still harbors great ambitions
literaryOriginating from Cao Cao's poem 'Stepping Out from Xia Gate' (步出夏门行): 'An old steed in the stable still aspires to gallop a thousand li; a noble warrior in his twilight years never abandons his lofty heart.' Used to praise elderly individuals who maintain high aspirations and refuse to retire mentally. Often employed in formal, literary, or commemorative contexts.
Tā他
suī虽
rán然
nián年
guò过
qī七
shí十
，
dàn但
lǎo老
jì骥
fú伏
lì枥
，
hái还
zài在
yán研
jiū究
xīn新
de的
kē科
xué学
xiàng项
mù目
。
Although he is over seventy, like an old steed in the stable, he is still researching new scientific projects.
Zhè这
wèi位
lǎo老
jiào教
shòu授
lǎo老
jì骥
fú伏
lì枥
，
réng仍
rán然
měi每
tiān天
jiān坚
chí持
xiě写
zuò作
。
This elderly professor, like an old steed in the stable, still persists in writing every day.
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Lǎo老
jì骥
fú伏
lì枥
，
zhì志
zài在
qiān千
lǐ里
，
wǒ我
men们
bù不
yīng应
gāi该
yīn因
wéi为
nián年
líng龄
ér而
fàng放
qì弃
mèng梦
xiǎng想
。
An old steed in the stable still aspires to gallop a thousand li; we should not give up our dreams because of age.