📖 Meaning
The cart ruts head north while the shafts point south. It describes actions that are completely contrary to one's intended purpose — like driving north when you want to go south. The further you travel, the farther you get from your goal.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom derives from the older phrase 北辕适楚 (Driving North to Reach Chu), a cautionary tale dating to the Warring States period. The story tells of a traveler who wished to reach the southern state of Chu but drove his cart northward. Despite having fine horses and abundant provisions, his wrong direction ensured he would never arrive. Later condensed into 北辙南辕, it came to symbolize any effort whose method contradicts its objective, making success impossible regardless of diligence.
💡 Example Usage
做事若不明确方向，便会北辙南辕，离目标越来越远。
If you act without a clear sense of direction, your efforts will run counter to your goal, carrying you ever further from it.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 北辙南辕
- Pinyin: běi zhé nán yuán
- Literal Translation: north, rut, south, shaft
- Category: Logic
- Characters: 4