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- 南辕北辙
南辕北辙
nán yuán běi zhé
Meaning
- to act in a way that defeats one's purpose (idiom)
Definition
比喻行动和目的相反，越是努力离目标越远。
To act in a way that defeats one's purpose; to go in the opposite direction of one's goal.
Usage
通常用于形容那些本意是好的，但方法错误，导致结果适得其反的情况。多用于批评或警示。
Used to describe situations where good intentions are undermined by wrong methods, leading to counterproductive results. Often used in criticism or warnings.
Examples
- 1 如果只追求速度而不注重质量，那就是南辕北辙，最终会浪费更多时间。 (If you only pursue speed without focusing on quality, that's like going south by driving north, and you'll end up wasting more time.)
- 2 他为了省钱而买便宜的材料，结果导致工程返工，真是南辕北辙。 (He bought cheap materials to save money, but it led to rework, which is truly counterproductive.)
- 3 减肥时只节食不运动，效果往往南辕北辙。 (Only dieting without exercise when losing weight often produces the opposite effect.)
- 4 一些公司为了追求短期利润而忽视环保，实际上是在南辕北辙。 (Some companies ignore environmental protection for short-term profits, which is actually self-defeating.)
- 5 家长过度保护孩子，反而会南辕北辙，让孩子失去独立能力。 (Overprotecting children by parents can backfire, causing children to lose independence.)
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