不可收拾

bùkěshōushí

idiom #13,450

Meanings

Júmiàn yǐjīng dào le bùkěshōushí de dìbù.

The situation has reached an unmanageable point.

Rúguǒ bù gǎnjǐn chǔlǐ, hòuguǒ jiāng bùkěshōushí.

If we don't deal with it quickly, the consequences will be beyond repair.

memory

不可 (cannot) + 收拾 (tidy up/clean up) — the mess is so bad you can't even begin to clean it up.

grammar

Often preceded by 一发 (yīfā) to form 一发不可收拾 — once it starts, it becomes unstoppable/uncontrollable.

不 bù

可 kě

收 shōu

拾 shí