望洋兴叹

Traditional form:

望洋興嘆

Pinyin (reading):

wàngyángxīngtàn

Definitions:

• lit. to gaze at the ocean and lament one's inadequacy (idiom)
• fig. to feel powerless and incompetent (to perform a task)

Characters:

• 望 - to expect, to hope, to look forward to
• 洋 - sea, ocean; western, foreign
• 兴 - to thrive, to prosper, to flourish
• 叹 - to sigh, to admire

Traditional characters:

• 望 - to expect, to hope, to look forward to
• 洋 - sea, ocean; western, foreign
• 興 - to thrive, to prosper, to flourish
• 嘆 - to sigh, to admire