sau2 mei5 coeng4手尾長手尾长

Jyutpingsau2 mei5 coeng4

Yalesáu méih chèuhng

Definition

Troublesome, problematic, or requiring a long time and prolonged attention to fully resolve.

colloquialworkdescriptions

How it's used

Refers specifically to the aftermath or residual consequences of an action that require ongoing effort to fix. It often implies that the initial task was not completed thoroughly or properly, leading to a chain of secondary problems. The phrase is frequently used to warn someone against cutting corners.

Examples

le1呢daan1單gung1工cing4程sau2手mei5尾hou2好coeng4長，gaau2搞dou3到ngo5我dei6哋hou2好faan4煩。

This project has so many lingering issues, it's really annoying.

nei5你zou6做je5嘢m4唔hou2好gam3咁kau4求kei4其，zan6陣gaan1間sau2手mei1尾coeng4長zau6就maa4麻faan4煩laa3喇。

Don't be so sloppy with your work, it'll be a headache later if there are lingering problems.

Common phrases

sau2手mei1尾coeng4長

to have long-term lingering issues

zap1執sau2手mei5尾

to clean up someone else's mess

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with simply being busy or having a long to do list. It specifically describes the negative, often unexpected, follow up work that arises from a previous action.