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南辕北辙

nán yuán běi zhé to act in a way that defeats one's purpose (idiom)
Nán surname Nan
used in 南无 / Taiwan pr. [na2]
nán south
  yuán shaft of a cart or carriage / (bound form) entrance gate of a military camp or yamen; (fig.) government office
   běi north / (classical) to be defeated
    zhé rut; track of a wheel (Taiwan pr. [che4]) / (coll.) the direction of traffic / a rhyme (of a song, poem etc) / (dialect) (usu. after or ) way; idea
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By MDBG 2026