南辕北辙nán yuán běi zhéto act in a way that defeats one's purpose

1. 1.

   to act in a way that defeats one's purposeidiom

Figurative meaning

To act in a way that defeats one's purpose.

Literal meaning

The cart shafts point south while the wheel tracks go north.

• 南south
• 辕shaft of a cart or carriage
• 北north
• 辙rut; track of a wheel

The story

Ji Liang tells the King of Wei that on the road he met a man driving north who said he wanted to go to Chu. The farther that man drives with his fine horse, money and driver, the farther he gets from Chu. Attacking Handan the same way, Ji Liang says, takes the king farther from becoming a true overlord.

南辕北辙 can describe a plan, method, or action that works against its own goal.

1. HSK 4

   你想去南方，却往北方走，这是南辕北辙。

   Nǐ xiǎng qù nánfāng, què wǎng běifāng zǒu, zhè shì nán yuán běi zhé.

   You want to go south but walk north; that defeats your own purpose.

2. HSK 4

   他的方法和目标南辕北辙。

   Tā de fāngfǎ hé mùbiāo nán yuán běi zhé.

   His method works against his goal.

1. 
   Speaker A:

   我想瘦一点儿。

   Wǒ xiǎng shòu yìdiǎnr.

   I want to get a bit thinner.

2. 
   Speaker B:

   那你为什么每天吃这么多蛋糕？

   Nà nǐ wèishénme měi tiān chī zhème duō dàngāo?

   Then why do you eat so much cake every day?

3. 
   Speaker A:

   因为蛋糕很好吃。

   Yīnwèi dàngāo hěn hǎochī.

   Because cake is tasty.

4. 
   Speaker B:

   你这样做是南辕北辙。

   Nǐ zhèyàng zuò shì nán yuán běi zhé.

   Doing it this way defeats your purpose.

1. 1.What does 南辕北辙 mean?

   ATo act in a way that defeats one's purposeBTo travel to the southCTo repair a cart
2. 2.Which sentence uses 南辕北辙 correctly?

   A他的方法和目标南辕北辙。B今天的蛋糕很南辕北辙。C我南辕北辙地睡觉。
3. 3.Which word fits best? 你想早点到，却走了远路，真是____。 (You want to arrive early but took the long way; that defeats your purpose.)

   A南辕北辙B半途而废C自由自在

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Related idioms

• 一举两得yì jǔ liǎng détwo birds with one stoneHSK 7–9
• 一如既往yì rú jì wǎng(idiom) just as in the past; as before; continuing as alwaysHSK 7–9
• 一目了然yí mù liǎo ránobvious at a glance (idiom)HSK 7–9
• 不可思议bù kě sī yìinconceivable; unimaginable; unfathomableHSK 7–9
• 不知不觉bù zhī bù jué(idiom) unconsciously; unwittinglyHSK 7–9
• 不知所措bù zhī suǒ cuònot knowing what to doHSK 7–9

Browse every entry in the Chinese idioms dictionary.