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天高任鸟飞

天高任鳥飛
tiān gāo rèn niǎo fēi
quotation

Meanings

  1. 1 the sky is high, letting birds fly (freely) - a vast space of opportunity for one's talents
  2. 2 literally: the sky is high, let birds fly

Examples

HSK 6
这个平台给了我们天高任鸟飞的空间。
Zhège píngtái gěi le wǒmen tiāngāorènniǎofēi de kōngjiān.
This platform gives us a sky-wide space in which to spread our wings.
HSK 7-9
毕业之后，天高任鸟飞，海阔凭鱼跃。
Bìyè zhīhòu, tiāngāorènniǎofēi, hǎikuòpíngyúyuè.
After graduation, the sky is vast for birds to fly and the sea wide for fish to leap.

Tips

history
A Chan-Buddhist-flavoured couplet recorded in the Song-dynasty collection 《禅宗颂古联珠通集》 and popularised in Ming fiction: 海阔凭鱼跃，天高任鸟飞 - 'The sea is wide, letting fish leap; the sky is high, letting birds fly.' Used in later Chinese literature as the standard image of expansive freedom.
usage
Paired couplet with 海阔凭鱼跃 - the two halves are nearly inseparable. Staple of career advice, graduation speeches, and ad copy for platforms / cities / programmes promising 'room to grow'. 任 here is rèn (to let / allow), not rén.

Stroke Order

天 tiān
高 gāo
任 rèn
鸟 niǎo
飞 fēi