大错特错

大錯特錯
dàcuòtècuò
idiom

Meanings

  1. 1 to be gravely mistaken
  2. 2 utterly wrong
  3. 3 very much in the wrong

Examples

Rúguǒ nǐ zhèyàng xiǎng, nà jiù dà cuò tè cuò le.
If you think that, you are utterly mistaken.
Yǐwéi zhèyàng zuò néng ménghùn guòguān, zhēn shì dà cuò tè cuò.
To think you could get away with this is a grave mistake.
Tā chéngrèn zìjǐ dà cuò tè cuò, yuànyì chéngdān hòuguǒ.
He admits he was utterly wrong and is willing to face the consequences.

Tips

history
From Zeng Pu's 《》 (late Qing, chapter 25): '如今想来,真是大错特错!' — 'looking back, it really was utterly wrong!'. The doubled structure XX is a productive intensifier.
grammar
The XX template is a strong emphasis pattern found in other idioms: (to argue fiercely), (to write lavishly of). The meaning is always 'X to a very great degree'.

Stroke Order

cuò