重蹈覆辙

chóng dǎo fù zhé

lit. to follow in the tracks of an overturned cart (idiom)

fig. to follow a path that led to failure in the past; to repeat a disastrous mistake

重

chóng

to repeat

蹈

dǎo

to tread on

覆

fù

to cover

辙

zhé

rut; track of a wheel (Taiwan pr. [che4])