The Han Dynasty (hàn cháo汉朝) book titled Huai Nan Zi (huaí nán zǐ 淮南子) tells a story about a man who went out to buy shoes. The shopkeeper handed him a pair that was small. The foolish man, instead of asking for another pair, tried to cut his feet to fit the shoes. When the foolish man went to buy a cap, the first cap he tried was too small, so he tried to cut off his scalp so that the cap would fit. This idiom satirizes those who handle things without considering the real situation, but rigidly adapt unsuitable rules.

汉朝有一本叫《淮南子》的书，讲述了一个傻瓜的故事：有一天傻瓜去买鞋，店主拿给他一双鞋，鞋小了，他不是让店主去换，而是打算把自己的脚削去一 块，来适合鞋的大小。傻瓜去帽店买帽子，帽子小了，他又打算把自己的头皮削去一点，以适合帽子的大小。“削足适履”比喻办事情不遵循实际情况，生拉硬套， 牵强附会。

削足适履 (xuē zú shì lǚ)
【翻译】 cut the feet to fit the shoes; act in a procrustean manner
【释义】 履：鞋。因为鞋小脚大，就把脚削去一块来凑和鞋的大小。比喻不合理的牵就凑合或不
             顾具体条件，生搬硬套，不懂得变通，不尊重客观事实。
【例句】 作诗不能为了迁就平仄而削足适履，硬凑一些不合适的字词。
【近义词】 生搬硬套、杀头便冠
【反义词】 因地制宜、量体裁衣