bark up the wrong tree，走错路线

还记得习语 all bark and no bite，它寓意“光说不练，只会动嘴皮子”，今天又多了一个有关于 bark 的习语 bark up the wrong tree，可以意为“攻击错了目标，走错误路线，把方法搞错或想偏”，寓意：

waste one's efforts by pursuing the wrong thing or path

因追求错误的事物或道路而浪费精力

to make a wrong choice

做出错误的选择

make a mistake or wrong assumption in something you are trying to achieve

在你想要实现的事情上犯一个错误或错误的假设

take a wrong approach to something

对某事采取错误的方法

例如：

It was a very sensitive case and yet for over one year the investigators kept barking up the wrong tree.

这是一个非常敏感的案件，然而一年多以来，调查人员一直在找错方向。

解析：keep doing sth 表示继续或重复做某事。

If you think you will solve the problem by following those steps, you are barking up the wrong tree.

如果你认为按照这些步骤就能解决问题，那你就错了。

I am not the person who spread those rumours about you, you are barking up the wrong tree.

我不是散布那些关于你的谣言的人，你说错话了。

解析：关系代词 who 引导的限制性定语从句，修饰先行词 the person.

I had kept telling you all along that you are barking up the wrong tree, yet you did not pay any heed and continued doing it.

我一直在告诉你，你找错了方向，但你没有理会，继续这样做。

解析：pay heed to sb/sth 意为“留心，注意，听从”。

I think they are barking up the wrong tree by focusing on the problems they have. They should focus on the solutions instead.

我认为他们把注意力集中在他们所面临的问题上，是找错了方向。他们应该集中精力解决问题。

解析：instead 句中的动作是要去做的，而 instead of 后面的动作或是事情是要被替代的。

三思而后行，正确的方法可以事半功倍，否则容易 一无所获（draw a blank）。