Definition
This chengyu describes an action that directly contradicts one's own goal — literally 'south chariot, north tracks,' meaning going in the wrong direction. It emphasizes that the method is completely opposite to the intended outcome, making the effort self-defeating.
phrase
to act in a way that completely contradicts one's own purposeself-defeatingcounterproductive
Examples
- ，南辕北辙。Tā pīnmìng gōngzuò què bú gù jiātíng, jiù xiàng nán yuán-běi zhé yíyàng.He works hard but neglects his family—like being completely self-defeating.
- ，南辕北辙。Rúguǒ yíngxiāo fāngxiàng yǔ kèhù xūqiú xiāng bèi, jiù shì nán yuán-běi zhé.If the marketing direction goes against customer needs, that's counterproductive.
- ，南辕北辙。Tā wèi le shěng qián ér chī huài le shēntǐ, zhēn shì nán yuán-běi zhé.He ruined his health to save money — truly an act that defeats his own purpose.
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