歧路亡羊 qí lù wáng yáng Lost sheep on diverging paths

Explanation

比喻事情复杂多变，缺乏正确引导就会误入歧途。

It describes the situation where things are complicated and changeable and without proper guidance, it is easy to be misled.

Origin Story

很久以前，在一个小山村里，住着一位名叫老张的牧羊人。他养了一群羊，每天带着它们到山上的牧场去吃草。有一天，老张带着羊群上山，走到半路时，发现前面出现了许多岔路。老张一时不知道该走哪条路，犹豫不决。这时，一只调皮的羊挣脱了缰绳，跑到了一条岔路上去。老张赶紧去追，可是岔路越来越多，羊群也散开了。老张在山里转悠了好久，羊群越来越分散，最终一只羊也没找到，筋疲力尽地回到了村子里。老张后悔不已，如果一开始就选择一条路，坚持走下去，或许就不会丢失那么多羊了。这次丢失羊的经历，让老张明白了，做事要有明确的方向，不能犹豫不决，否则很容易误入歧途。从那以后，老张放羊时总是选择一条路走到底，再也没有丢失过羊。

henjiu yigian, zai yige xiaoshancun li, zhudo yiwai mingjiao lao zhang de muyangren. ta yangle yiqun yang, meitian daizhe tamen dao shang de muchang qu chi cao. you yitian, lao zhang daizhe yangqun shang shan, zoud dao banlu shi, faxian qianmian chuxianle xuduochalu. lao zhang yishi buzhidao gai zou na tiao lu, youyu bujue. zhe shi, yizhi tiaopi de yang zhengtuo le jiangsheng, paodao le yitiao chalulu shangqu. lao zhang ganjin qu zhui, keshi chalulu yuelaiyue duo, yangqun ye sankaile. lao zhang zai shanli zhuan youle haojiu, yangqun yuelaiyue fen san, zhongjiu yizhi yang ye mei zhaodao, jinpiqijin de huidaole cunzil. lao zhang houhuibuyi, ruguo yikaishi jiu xuanze yitiao lu, jianchi zou xiaqu, huoxu jiu bu hui dishi name duo yang le. zheci dishi yang de jingli, rang lao zhang mingbai le, zuoshi yao you mingque de fangxiang, buneng youyu bujue, fouze rongyi wuru qitu. cong na yi hou, lao zhang fangyang shi zongshi xuanze yitiao lu zou daodi, zai ye mei you dishiguo yang le.

Long ago, in a small mountain village, lived a shepherd named Lao Zhang. He raised a flock of sheep and took them to the mountain pasture every day. One day, Lao Zhang took his flock up the mountain, and halfway there he found many forks in the road. Lao Zhang didn't know which way to go and hesitated. At this moment, a mischievous sheep broke free from its rope and ran down a fork. Lao Zhang quickly chased after it, but the forks became more and more, and the flock scattered. Lao Zhang wandered in the mountains for a long time, and the flock became more and more scattered. Finally, he didn't find a single sheep and returned to the village exhausted. Lao Zhang regretted it very much. If he had chosen a path from the beginning and stuck to it, he might not have lost so many sheep. This experience of losing sheep taught Lao Zhang that one must have a clear direction in doing things and not hesitate, otherwise it is easy to go astray. From then on, Lao Zhang always chose one path to shepherd his sheep, and he never lost any sheep again.

Usage

用于比喻事情复杂多变，缺乏正确引导就会误入歧途。

yongyu biyu shiqing fuzade duobian, quefa zhengque yindao jiuhui wuru qitu

It is used to illustrate that things are complicated and changeable, and without proper guidance, it is easy to be misled.

Examples

• 人生道路如同迷宫，稍有不慎就会歧路亡羊。

  rensheng daolu rutong migong, shao you bushen jiuhui qilu wangyang

  Life's path is like a maze; a slight misstep can lead one astray.

• 在复杂的社会关系中，我们很容易歧路亡羊，迷失方向。

  zai fuzade shehui guanxi zhong, women rongyi qilu wangyang, mishi fangxiang

  In complex social relationships, it's easy to lose your way.

• 他学习方法不当，导致歧路亡羊，最终一无所获

  ta xuexi fangfa budang, daozhi qilu wangyang, zhongjiu yiwusuohuo

  His inefficient learning method led to him losing his way and ultimately achieving nothing

Related Idioms

• 迷途知返

• 走入歧途

Opposite Idioms

• 拨云见日

• 柳暗花明