small bird; brambling; person of limited vision
Meanings
2 senses · 5 examplesnoun
a small passerine bird (Fringilla montifringilla); brambling
Refers specifically to the brambling, a species of finch. In ornithological contexts, distinct from the common sparrow (麻雀).
When winter comes, flocks of bramblings fly south to spend the winter.
The head and back of this male brambling display a beautiful black color.
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Bramblings mainly feed on plant seeds and insects.
noun
figurative: a person of limited ambition or narrow vision; small-minded person
literaryDerived from the classical idiom '燕雀安知鸿鹄之志' (how can a sparrow know the ambitions of a swan), contrasting the small bird with the great swan (鸿鹄). Carries a derogatory or pitying connotation.
How can a sparrow know the ambitions of a swan? How could a small-minded person like him understand your grand ideals?
Don't be a sparrow content with the status quo; have the ambition of a swan.