轍を踏む · godan verb (-mu)
| Form | Positive | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Dictionary | 轍を踏む | 轍を踏まない |
| Polite | 轍を踏みます | 轍を踏みません |
| Past polite | 轍を踏みました | 轍を踏みませんでした |
| Past | 轍を踏んだ | 轍を踏まなかった |
| Te-form | 轍を踏んで | 轍を踏まないで |
| Desire | 轍を踏みたい | 轍を踏みたくない |
| Potential | 轍を踏める | 轍を踏めない |
| Passive | 轍を踏まれる | 轍を踏まれない |
| Causative | 轍を踏ませる | 轍を踏ませない |
| Causative passive | 轍を踏ませられるalso 轍を踏まされる | 轍を踏ませられないalso 轍を踏まされない |
| Volitional | 轍を踏もう | |
| Polite volitional | 轍を踏みましょう | |
| Imperative | 轍を踏め | 轍を踏むな |
| Conditional | 轍を踏めば | 轍を踏まなければ |
| Tara conditional | 轍を踏んだら | 轍を踏まなかったら |
repeat someone's mistake; make the same mistake as one's predecessor
Idiomatic expression literally meaning 'to step in the ruts of a previous cart'. Used when someone repeats a failure or error that has already been made, often with a nuance of avoidable repetition.
I carefully devised a plan so as not to repeat my senior's mistake.
I want to avoid at least repeating past failures.