ほん
本
まつ
末
てん
転
とう
倒

noun, takes する, intransitive verb

Messages.yoji.
  1. putting the cart before the horse, mistaking the means for the end, getting one's priorities backwards.

Variations

Pronunciation Kanji Kana Is Common
ほん
本
まつ
末
てん
転
とう
倒
 本末転倒 ほんまつてんとう
ほん
本
まつ
末
てん
顛
とう
倒
 本末顛倒 ほんまつてんとう
ほん
本
まつ
末
てん
顚
とう
倒
 本末顚倒 ほんまつてんとう

Contained Kanji Breakdown

book, present, main
ホン　もと　まと (1st, N5)
tree, wood
き　モク　こ- (1st, N5)
end, close, tip
マツ　すえ　バツ (4th, N3)
one, one radical (no.1)
イチ　いっ　ひと- (1st, N5)
tree, wood
き　モク　こ- (1st, N5)
revolve, turn around, change
テン　ころ.がる　うたた (3rd, N4)
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
say
ウン　い.う　ここに (Kentei Pre-1)
two, two radical (no. 7)
ニ　ふた　ふだ (1st, N5)
I, myself, katakana mu radical (no. 28)
シ　ボウ　ム (Kentei 1)
overthrow, fall, collapse
たお.れる　トウ　さかさま (7th, N3)
human radical (no. 9)
arrival, proceed, reach
いた.る　トウ (7th, N3)
climax, arrive, proceed
シ　いた.る　のぶ (6th, N1)
the fore-arm(厷) variant
one, one radical (no.1)
イチ　いっ　ひと- (1st, N5)
I, myself, katakana mu radical (no. 28)
シ　ボウ　ム (Kentei 1)
soil, earth, ground
ド　つち　は (1st, N5)
knife, standing sword radical (no. 18)
トウ