a wild goose chase的中文意思是徒勞之舉，白費功夫。例如：The tip the police got turned out to be a wild goose chase.警方得到的線索結果變得毫無用處。
a wild goose chase這個用語的由來非常有趣，大約始於17世紀，與-種已經失傳的運動有直接關係，就是馬群會跟著帶頭的馬一起跑。馬匹會跟隨領導者奔跑的模式跟鵝的習性類似，所以在莎士比亞的劇作《羅密歐與朱麗葉》（Romeo and Juliet）中就曾經出現a wild goose chase這個用語，用來表示「做白費力氣的事」
看看老外聊天時怎麼用a wild goose chase:
Sam：I don't think this research is leading us anywhere.
我認為這個研究不會有任何結果。
May：You might be right.
也許你是對的。
Sam：I have a feeling it might just be a wild goose chase.
我有預感這一-切只是白費工夫。
May：Maybe we should go back to the beginning again.
也許我們應該重頭再來。
a wild goose chase例句精選：
Harry wondered if Potts had deliberately sent him on a wild goose chase.
哈裡疑心波茨故意讓他白費力氣地瞎找一通。
The reporter was sent on a wild goose chase, for the monster he was to investigate had never really existed.
記者被派了去作徒勞無益的調查，因為他要查詢的怪物根本不存在。
You're led on a wild goose chase if you look for an apartment in the papers.
如果你指望通過報紙找到公寓，那是白費勁。