noun
round peg in a square hole; mismatch; incompatibility
A rare yojijukugo meaning that things do not fit together, like a round peg in a square hole. Used metaphorically for incompatible ideas, people, or situations.
「円鑿方枘」は、丸いほぞを四角い穴に入れようとするような、不適合を表す故事成語だ。
円鑿方枘 is a classical idiom that expresses incompatibility, like trying to fit a round tenon into a square hole.
A yojijukugo of Chinese origin, literally 'round mortise, square tenon', from the idea that a round peg cannot fit into a square hole. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it is a classical metaphor for incompatibility.