南辕北辙 nányuán-běizhé to act in a way that defeats one's purpose
to act in a way that defeats one's purpose (idiom)
How to remember 南辕北辙: 南 south + 辕 shaft + 北 north + 辙 track = to act in a way that defeats one's purpose.
Characters
How it is used
- To head south while the shaft points north - act in a way that defeats your own goal - 这样做南辕北辙 (zhèyàng zuò nányuán-běizhé) doing it this way is self-defeating.
- Set idiom: your method contradicts your aim, so effort takes you further from it.
- Critical register; also for two things going in opposite directions.
Example sentences
- 你要南辕北辙了。 Nǐ yào nányuánběizhé le.You're not going in the right direction.