諺語 · a single proverb
志高氣昂
Simplified: 志高气昂
What does 志高氣昂 (zhì gāo qì áng) mean?
志高氣昂 (zhì gāo qì áng) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "ambition high, spirit soaring." In use it means: A person in peak form: motivated, confident, and carrying themselves with purpose. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Fire note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Horse.
Literally: "ambition high, spirit soaring."
The reading
The posture tells you before the words do. The shoulders are back. The chin is level. Something behind the eyes has settled on a destination. This is not bravado. It is the physical signature of someone who knows where they are going and has started walking.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Common idiom in literary and military texts
Sits beside
Keep reading
Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Courage & Decisive Action, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Horse, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 志高氣昂 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 志高氣昂 (zhì gāo qì áng) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Common idiom in literary and military texts. It is living Chinese heritage, given here with per-character pinyin and its source so you can trust the line, not a phrase invented in English.
How do you pronounce 志高氣昂?
In Mandarin it is zhì gāo qì áng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 志高氣昂 aloud in Mandarin.