mess; chaotic situation; shambles
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesnoun
a mess; a chaotic situation that is difficult to clean up; a disorganized unit or legacy that is hard to rectify
informalMetaphorical usage describing messy situations, organizational chaos, or troublesome problems inherited from predecessors. Often used to describe the aftermath of poor management or crises.
Xīn新
jīng经
lǐ理
jiē接
shǒu手
le了
yī一
gè个
làn烂
tān摊
zi子
。
The new manager took over a complete mess.
Shàng上
jiè届
zhèng政
fǔ府
liú留
xià下
de的
làn烂
tān摊
zi子
，
běn本
jiè届
zhèng政
fǔ府
bù不
dé得
bù不
shōu收
shi拾
。
The current administration has no choice but to clean up the mess left behind by the previous government.
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Tā他
bǎ把
gōng公
sī司
gǎo搞
chéng成
le了
làn烂
tān摊
zi子
，
zì自
jǐ己
què却
cí辞
zhí职
le了
。
He turned the company into a shambles and then resigned himself.