Barking up the wrong tree

Definition

To pursue a mistaken course of action or to make an incorrect assumption about something or someone.

Etymology

This phrase comes from raccoon hunting in early America, where hunting dogs would chase raccoons up trees. Sometimes the raccoon would escape to another tree, leaving the dog barking at the base of the wrong tree. The phrase was first recorded in the 1830s in American literature.

Kelly Says

This idiom perfectly captures the frustration of misdirected effort, and it's one of the few phrases that gives us a vivid window into 19th-century American hunting practices. The image of a confused dog barking at an empty tree while the quarry has escaped elsewhere is both humorous and universally relatable.

Translations

AMአማርኛ
አንተ ስህተት እየፈጠርክ ነው
anete sihiteT eyefeterk new
ARالعربية
أنت مخطئ
anta khata'
BNবাংলা
তুমি ভুল করছ
tumi bhul korchho
CACatalà
estàs equivocat
eh-STAH eh-kee-VAH-thoh
CSČeština
mýlíš se
MOO-leesh seh
DADansk
du har forkert
DOO hah FOR-kert
DEDeutsch
du hast dich geirrt
DOO hast DEEKH geh-IRT
ELΕλληνικά
σκοτώνεις λάθος
skotónis láthos
ESEspañol
estás equivocado
eh-STAH eh-kee-VAH-thoh
FAفارسی
شما اشتباه می کنید
shomā eshtebāh mī konid
FISuomi
olet väärässä
OH-leht VAY-rah-sah
FRFrançais
tu te trompes
too tuh trohmp
GUGU
તમે ખોટું કરી રહ્યા છો
tame khotuṁ karī rahyā chho
HAHA
kuna kuskure
KOO-nah koo-SKOO-reh
HEעברית
אתה טועה
ata to'eh
HIहिन्दी
तुम गलत हो
tum galat ho
HUMagyar
tévedsz
TEH-ved
IDBahasa Indonesia
kamu salah
KAH-moo SAH-lah
IGIG
ị na-efe efu
ee NAH-feh eh-foo
ITItaliano
stai sbagliando
STAH-ee spah-lyah-NOHN-doh
KKKK
сен білместе
sen bilmeshte
KMKM
អ្នកខុស
nak khsuhs
MRMR
तुम्ही चुकीचे आहात
tumhī chukīche āhāt
MSBahasa Melayu
kamu salah
KAH-moo SAH-lah
MYမြန်မာ
မင်းမှားနေပါတယ်
mang mah nae par tal
NLNederlands
je hebt het mis
YAH hayt het MEE-s
NONorsk
du har feil
DOO hah FAYL
PAPA
ਤੁਸੀਂ ਗਲਤ ਕਰ ਰਹੇ ਹੋ
tusīṁ galat kar rahe ho
PLPolski
mylisz się
MOO-lis shen
PTPortuguês
você está enganado
voh-CHEH eh-STAH ehn-gah-NAH-doo
RORomână
te înșeli
TAY in-SHEH-lee
RUРусский
ты ошибаешься
ty oshibaye-shsya
SVSvenska
du har fel
DOO hah FEL
SWKiswahili
una makosa
oo-NAH mah-KOH-sah
TAதமிழ்
நீ தவறாக இருக்கிறாய்
nee thavaraaka irukkiraay
TEతెలుగు
నువ్వు తప్పు చేస్తున్నావు
nuvvu thappu chesstunnaavu
THไทย
คุณกำลังผิด
khuṇ kām-lang p̄hid
TLTL
mali ka
MAH-lee kah
TRTürkçe
yanlış yoldasın
YAHN-luh-sul YOH-luh-suhn
UKУкраїнська
ти помиляєшся
ty pomylayeshsya
URاردو
تم غلط کر رہے ہو
tum ghalat kar rahe ho
VITiếng Việt
bạn đang lầm
bahn dahng lahm
YOYO
o ṣe lọ
oh SHEH loh
ZUZU
wena uyahlupha
WEH-nah oo-hah-LOO-pah

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