“重蹈覆辙”，字面意思是“重新走上翻过车的老路（ follow the tracks of an  overturned cart）”，“辙”表示“车轮辗过的痕迹（ the track of a wheel）”。比喻不吸取教训，再走失败的老路，可以翻译为“recommit the same error”，“follow the same old disastrous road”。常用于劝说、希望和警告的场合。

例句：

要从过去的错误中吸取教训，以免重蹈覆辙。

One should learn from past mistakes so as to avoid falling into the same old trap again.

人们想知道他们是怎样稀里糊涂地陷入战争的，以及日后该如何避免重蹈覆辙。

People wanted to know how they had blundered into war, and how to avoid it in future.