What does 心比天高, 命比纸薄 mean?
Hi, I saw this phrase when I tried to read some stuffs in Chinese and I had trouble finding the meaning of 心比天高, 命比纸薄.

I tried Google it but still can't get it clearly.

Could you guys explain its meaning and translate it into English (or in Vietnamese if possible ...) for me?

Thank you guys so muchh!

Question

What does 心比天高, 命比纸薄 mean?
Hi, I saw this phrase when I tried to read some stuffs in Chinese and I had trouble  finding the meaning of  心比天高, 命比纸薄.

I tried Google it but still can't get it clearly.

Could you guys explain its meaning and translate it into English (or in Vietnamese if possible ...) for me?

Thank you guys so muchh!

Answer

Having high ambitions ,but life is short and fragile.until death can not display talent  and achieve any ambitons.

Answer

心比天高 means wanting to do a lot of something.
命比纸薄 means failing to succed in that.

Answer

#Flora: Thank you so much, it is much easier to imagine now!

Answer

It means someone who is in low status(house maid /slave) want  to gain power or fame or keep pure ,but fails and dies young .It always refers to women.
The phrase from a famous chinese classical novel  ,"A DREAM OF RED MANSIONS ".it's written in Qing dynasty.