歧路亡羊

qílùwángyáng

to become lost in a complex situation; to go astray

Wiktionary

Entry Composition

1 歧路 qílù
  1. divergent path
  2. (fig.) wrong path
=2 亡 wáng
  1. to die
  2. to lose
  3. to be gone
  4. to flee
  5. deceased
=2 亡 wáng old variant of 亡 wáng
=2 亡 wú
  1. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) alternative form of 毋 (wú, “don't”)
  2. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) alternative form of 無 /无 (“not have”)
  3. alternative form of 毋 (wú, “don't”)
  4. alternative form of 無 /无 (“not have”)
=3 羊 Yáng surname Yang
=3 羊 yáng sheep; goat

classifiers: 頭, 隻