前ぜん轍てつ

noun

wheel tracks left by previous vehicles

Literary or formal term for the ruts or tracks left by earlier carts or vehicles. Often used metaphorically in the phrase 前轍を踏む (to repeat the same mistake, lit. 'to tread the same tracks').

• 前ぜん轍てつを踏ふまないように、過か去この失しっ敗ぱいから学まなぶべきだ。

  We should learn from past failures so as not to repeat the same mistakes.

• この道みちには深ふかい前ぜん轍てつが残のこっている。

  Deep wheel tracks from earlier vehicles remain on this road.