本末倒置 To put the cart before the horse
Explanation
比喻把主次、轻重的位置弄颠倒了。
It means to put the order or priorities wrong, to exchange the main and the secondary.
Origin Story
从前，有个秀才准备参加科举考试。他非常勤奋，每天都学习到深夜。但是，他学习的方法却很奇怪。他先读那些艰深的经史子集，而把简单的四书五经放在一边。他认为那些难懂的书籍才是真正的学问，而四书五经太简单了，不值得花费时间。考试临近，他却发现自己对四书五经的理解非常肤浅，考试时，许多题目都是关于四书五经的，他答题时只能勉强应付，结果落榜了。他很纳闷，不明白自己为什么失败。一位老秀才对他说："你的学习方法是本末倒置了，基础知识都没有掌握好，怎么能够读懂那些艰深的书籍呢？"秀才听了老秀才的话，才恍然大悟，从此改变了自己的学习方法，终于金榜题名。
Once upon a time, there was a scholar preparing for the imperial examinations. He was very diligent and studied until late every night. But his learning method was very strange. He first read those profound classics, but put aside the simple Four Books and Five Classics. He believed that those difficult books were the real knowledge, while the Four Books and Five Classics were too simple and not worth spending time on. When the exam was approaching, he found that his understanding of the Four Books and Five Classics was very superficial. In the exam, many questions were about the Four Books and Five Classics, and he could only barely cope with the questions. He failed. He was very confused and did not understand why he had failed. An old scholar said to him: "Your learning method is backward. You haven't mastered the basics, how can you understand those profound books?" The scholar listened to the old scholar and understood. From then on, he changed his learning method and finally passed the exam.
Usage
用于形容做事颠倒主次、轻重缓急，常用作谓语、宾语、定语。
Used to describe doing things in reverse order or priorities, often used as predicate, object, or attribute.
Examples
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他做事总是本末倒置，结果总是事与愿违。
ta zuòshì zǒngshì běn mò dào zhì, jiéguǒ zǒngshì shì yǔ yuánwéi
He always does things in reverse order, so the results are always contrary to his wishes.
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学习要先打好基础，切不可本末倒置。
xuéxí yào xiān dǎ hǎo jīchǔ, qiē kě bù běn mò dào zhì
Learning should first have a good foundation, and you must not reverse the order of things.