Auf dem Holzweg sein

Meaning: To be on completely the wrong track.

Language: German

Literally: To be on the timber track

Category: Nature

Origin: Medieval Holzwege were logging paths cut only to haul trees out — they dead-ended in the forest, stranding any traveler who trusted them.

Equivalents in other languages

English: bark up the wrong tree — literally: to bark up the wrong tree
Norwegian: Å være ute og sykle — literally: To be out cycling
Italian: Prendere lucciole per lanterne — literally: To mistake fireflies for lanterns

高嶺の花 (Takane no hana) — Someone or something beautiful but utterly out of reach.
После дождичка в четверг (Posle dozhdichka v chetverg) — Never — or certainly no time soon.
Τα έκανε θάλασσα — He made a complete mess of it.
Je to za vodou — To be out of trouble; home free.
Spadnout z višně — To be naive and clueless about how things really work.
Lóg az eső lába — It looks like it's about to rain.

Die Kirche im Dorf lassen — To keep things in proportion and not get carried away.
Jetzt geht's um die Wurst — Now it's crunch time — everything is at stake.
Das Leben ist kein Ponyhof — Life is not all fun and games; expect hardship.
Die Katze im Sack kaufen — To buy something sight unseen and get cheated.
Eine Extrawurst verlangen — To expect special treatment.
Da kannst du Gift drauf nehmen — You can bet your life on it; it's absolutely certain.

Zehn zahme Ziegen ziehen zehn Zentner Zucker zum Zoo. — A sustained 'z' / 'ts' drill — every word starts with the same affricate.
Wenn Fliegen hinter Fliegen fliegen, fliegen Fliegen Fliegen nach. — Fliegen means 'flies' (insects), 'to fly', and 'flying' — all at once, relentlessly.
Der Cottbuser Postkutscher putzt den Cottbuser Postkutschkasten. — A jaw-breaking compound-noun 'ts/tsch/sch' marathon — the German love of compound words w…