老驥伏櫪

Chinese

trad. (老驥伏櫪) 老驥 伏櫪
simp. (老骥伏枥) 老骥 伏枥
alternative forms 伏櫪老驥／伏枥老骥
Literally: “an old steed in the stable still aspires to gallop 1000 miles”.

Etymology

From a poem by Cao Cao:

老驥伏櫪，志在千里；烈士暮年，壯心不已。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
老骥伏枥，志在千里；烈士暮年，壮心不已。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: 三國·魏·曹操《步出夏門行》
Lǎojì fúlì, zhì zài qiānlǐ; lièshì mùnián, zhuàngxīn bùyǐ. [Pinyin]
The old steed over the manger still has the mind to do a thousand-li journey;
The heroic old man still cherishes lofty ambitions.

Pronunciation

Idiom

老驥伏櫪

  1. (figurative) an aged person with great aspirations
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