- 燕雀安知鸿鹄之志 yànquè'ānzhīhónghúzhīzhì how can small fry understand the ambitions of the greatliterally meaning "how can the swallow and sparrow know the will of the great swan"; used to describe how people with narrow minds or common goals cannot understand the grand visions of those with great ambition
- 燕雀焉知鸿鹄之志 yànquèyānzhīhónggǔzhīzhì how can small people understand the ambitions of the greatLiterally "how can a sparrow know the will of a great swan"; used to mean that common people cannot possibly understand the lofty goals or ambitions of a great person.
