'Local lingo: Express yourself!' Episode 72: 志存高远,脚踏实地 (Zhì Cún Gāo Yuǎn, Jiǎo Tà Shí Dì)

Language is the road map of a culture.

In this column, we will invite expats to introduce their favorite Chinese words, phrases, idioms, poems and more in a one-minute video. We hope this will serve as a window through which you can better understand Chinese culture, mindset and wit.

Alex Zhavoronkov, the founder and CEO of Insilico Medicine, finds a Chinese proverb particularly reflective of his career aspirations, which means to aim for the moon, but to keep your feet on the ground. This encapsulates his philosophy of setting high goals while maintaining a pragmatic approach. Zhavoronkov is driven by the vision of hastening drug discovery through AI to benefit those in dire need. He is confident that humanity will one day conquer the aging process.

Share with us the Chinese proverbs that you think are timeless. Please contact juliezhu@shanghaidaily.com.