望洋兴叹

wàngyángxīngtàn

lament one's littleness before the vast ocean—bemoan one's inadequacy in the face of a great task

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bemoan one's inadequacy in the face of a great task

bemoan one's insignificancy in the face of a great thing

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bemoan one's inadequacy in the face of a great task; bemoan one's insignificancy in the face of a great thing

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望洋兴叹

wàng yáng xīng tàn

lament one's littleness before the vast ocean; bemoan one's inadequacy in the face of a great task; gaze at the ocean and complain of its infinitude; gaze at the ocean and sigh -- feel powerless and frustrated; sigh by looking at the seas; view the vast ocean with despair; view with despair the vast ocean or vast work to be done

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望洋興嘆|望洋兴叹 [wàng yáng xīng tàn] ► lit. to gaze at the ocean and lament one's inadequacy (idiom) ► fig. to feel powerless and incompetent (to perform a task)