南辕北辙
Traditional form:
南轅北轍
Pinyin (reading):
nányuánběizhé
Definitions:
- to act in a way that defeats one's purpose (idiom)
Characters:
- 南 - south; southern; southward
- 辕 - axle; magistrate's office; surname
- 北 - north; northern; northward
- 辙 - track, rut; stuck in a rut
Traditional characters: