jat1 taap3 wu4 tou4一塌糊塗一塌糊涂

Jyutpingjat1 taap3 wu4 tou4

Yaleyāt taap wùh tòuh

形容詞Uncommon

Definition

In a complete mess, in a terrible state, or ruined beyond repair.

colloquialdescriptions

How it's used

Describes a situation that has spiraled out of control or a performance that is disastrously poor. It carries a strong sense of disapproval or frustration, often used when someone has failed to meet basic expectations. While it can apply to physical clutter, it is frequently used for abstract concepts like work quality, relationships, or personal conduct.

Examples

nei5你gaan3間fong2房lyun6亂dou3到jat1一taap3塌wu4糊tou4塗，faai3快di1啲zap1執laa1啦。

Your room is in a complete mess, clean it up quickly.

keoi5佢fan2份bou3報gou3告se2寫dou3到jat1一taap3塌wu4糊tou4塗，dim2點gaau1交aa4呀？

His report is written in such a terrible state, how can he submit it?

Common phrases

lyun6亂dou3到jat1一taap3塌wu4糊tou4塗

messy to the point of being unmanageable

gaau2搞dou3到jat1一taap3塌wu4糊tou4塗

to make a complete mess of something

Common mistake

Learners often mistake this for a verb phrase, but it functions as an adjective or adverbial complement. It must be preceded by 亂到 or 寫到 to describe the extent of the mess, rather than just standing alone as a predicate.