barking up the wrong tree

💡 Meaning

To waste time and energy looking in the wrong place or blaming the wrong person.

엉뚱한 곳을 찾거나 잘못된 사람을 탓하면서 시간과 에너지를 낭비하는 것을 의미해요.

🧠 Memory Hook

Picture a dog barking loudly at a tree — but the squirrel already ran to the next tree over. All that energy, completely wasted on the wrong target.