bark up the wrong tree: 弄错人了

to bark up the wrong tree是美式英语，原场景是：猎狗误以为猎物藏在树后而对树狂叫。现在用来形象比喻做出错误的选择、问错了人、或走错了路。

这个俗语在1830s才在美国使用，而且又涉及到dog,又是贬义，所以不是正式用语，但已被主流词典收进，如。

【例句1】Scientists in Switzerland realised that most other researchers had been barking up the wrong tree. (瑞士的科学家们意识到，大多数其他研究人员都找错了方向。)[柯林斯高级学者辞典]

【例句2】You're barking up the wrong tree if you're expecting us to lend you any money. （如果你指望我们借钱给你，那你找错人了。）[牛津高级学者辞典]

【例句3】She thinks it'll solve the problem, but I think she's barking up the wrong tree. (她认为这会解决问题，但我认为她找错人了。)[剑桥高级学者辞典]

【例句4】The police spent three months barking up the wrong tree on the murder investigation. (警方浪费了三个月的时间对谋杀案进行了错误地调查)[朗文当代英语词典]