ぜん
前
てつ
轍
　
を
ふ
踏
　
む

expression, Godan verb

Idiomatic expression.
  1. to repeat someone's mistake, to make the same mistake as one's predecessor, to follow the ruts of a previous cart.

Variations

Pronunciation Kanji Kana Is Common
ぜん
前
てつ
轍
　
を
ふ
踏
　
む
 前轍を踏む ぜんてつをふむ

Contained Kanji Breakdown

in front, before
まえ　ゼン　さき (2nd, N5)
grass, straw, herbs
to divide
one, one radical (no.1)
イチ　いっ　ひと- (1st, N5)
cutting off feet as form of punishment
ゲツ　グチ　ゴツ
month, moon
つき　ゲツ　ガツ (1st, N5)
knife, standing sword radical (no. 18)
トウ
rut, wheel track
わだち　テツ　わだちい (Kentei Pre-1)
car
シャ　くるま　くら (1st, N5)
span, range, extend over
わた.る　コウ　わたる (Kentei Pre-1, N1)
one, one radical (no.1)
イチ　いっ　ひと- (1st, N5)
daybreak, dawn, morning
タン　あき.らか　あきら (11th, N1)
day, sun, Japan
ひ　にっ　ニチ (1st, N5)
number one, line, rod radical (no. 2)
コン　シ　ジョ
bring up, grow up, raise
そだ.つ　イク　はぐく.む (3rd, N3)
inverted child
kettle lid radical (no. 8)
トウ (Kentei 1)
I, myself, katakana mu radical (no. 28)
シ　ボウ　ム (Kentei 1)
month, moon
つき　ゲツ　ガツ (1st, N5)
strike, hit, folding chair radical variant (no. 66)
ホク (Kentei 1)
person(人) variant
mow, cut grass, subdue
ガイ　ゲ　おさ.める (Kentei 1)
step, trample, carry through
ふ.む　トウ (7th, N1)
leg, foot, be sufficient
あし　た.りる　ソク (1st, N4)
mouth
くち　コウ　ク (1st, N4)
stop, halt
と.まる　シ　どめ (2nd, N4)
divining, fortune-telling, divination or katakana to radical (no. 25)
ボク　うらな.う　うらない (Kentei Pre-1)
shoes, boots
くつ　トウ (Kentei Pre-1)
water
みず　スイ　み (1st, N5)
day, sun, Japan
ひ　にっ　ニチ (1st, N5)