前ぜん車しゃの轍てつを踏ふむ

expression, godan verb (-mu)

repeat someone's mistake; make the same mistake as one's predecessor

Idiomatic expression; literally 'to step in the ruts of the preceding cart'. Used when someone fails to learn from another's failure and repeats the same error.

See also: 轍を踏む

• 前ぜん社しゃ長ちょうの失しっ敗ぱいをよく調しらべずに同おなじ戦せん略りゃくを取とるのは、まさに前ぜん車しゃの轍てつを踏ふむものだ。

  Adopting the same strategy without thoroughly examining the previous president's failure is exactly a case of repeating the same mistake.

• 彼かれは前ぜん車しゃの轍てつを踏ふまないように、慎しん重ちょうに計けい画かくを立たてた。

  He planned carefully so as not to repeat his predecessor's mistake.