To aspire is to want something important and to set yourself toward it — a life, a job, a kind of person you hope to become. It is hopeful, a little formal, and almost always about a high or serious aim, not about wanting tea.

To aspire立志 is to want something important是想要某個重要的東西 and set yourself toward it並且朝那個方向努力——a life, a job, a kind of person you hope to become一種生活、一份工作、一種你希望成為的人。It這個字 is hopeful帶著希望的語氣，a little formal有點正式，and almost always about a high or serious aim講的幾乎都是遠大或嚴肅的目標，not about wanting tea不是想喝杯茶那種小事。

English likes aspire to: aspire to a career, aspire to be kind, aspire to the top job.

English likes aspire to英文常說 aspire to：aspire to a career立志成為某種事業，aspire to be kind立志做個善良的人，aspire to the top job立志爬到最高職位。

Teachers sometimes pretend it must be grand (only “aspire to greatness”); though actually people aspire to quite ordinary good things, as long as those things matter to them.

Teachers sometimes pretend it must be grand老師有時候會裝作這個字一定要很偉大 (only "aspire to greatness")（只能說 aspire to greatness）；though actually但其實 people aspire to quite ordinary good things人也可以立志追求很普通的好事，as long as those things matter to them只要那件事對你重要。

It says more than want: there is a reaching in it. You can aspire and still fail; the word is about the direction of the heart, not the result.

It它 says more than want講的比 want（想要）更多：there is a reaching in it裡面有一種伸手去追的感覺。You can aspire你可以立志 and still fail卻還是失敗；the word is about the direction of the heart這個字講的是心裡的方向，not the result不是結果。