diào'áo

to have great ambition

Senses

钓鳌/ 釣鼇 diào'áo to have great ambition

(literary) to catch a giant turtle; used to describe having grand aspirations or a heroic spirit. This refers to a legend from the 列子 liè​zǐ where a giant caught six enormous turtles that were supporting mythical mountains in the sea.

References

see 钓鳌/釣鼇 列子/列子