1
a mess of + [noun]
表示大量、众多，常后接复数名词。
There was a mess of paperwork on his desk.
他的桌子上有一大堆文件。
混乱；杂乱；烂摊子
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
混乱；杂乱；烂摊子
a dirty, disorganized, or disorderly state; a bad or difficult situation
There was a mess of paperwork on his desk.
他的桌子上有一大堆文件。
令人不快、杂乱或肮脏的事物；引申为糟糕的处境。
a thing or group of things in a disagreeable, disorganised, or dirty state; hence a bad situation
一同进餐的一群人,集体为他们备餐,尤指同膳的军人。
A number of persons who eat together, and for whom food is prepared in common, especially military personnel who eat at the same table.
处于(尤指情感)混乱或紊乱状态的人；情绪崩溃的人。
a person in a state of (especially emotional) turmoil or disarray; an emotional wreck
就餐用的建筑物或房间。
A building or room in which mess is eaten.
The kids made a huge mess in the living room with their toys.
孩子们把玩具弄得客厅里一团糟。
His finances are a complete mess after the failed investment.
投资失败后，他的财务状况一团糟。
She accidentally dropped the bowl and created a mess on the floor.
她不小心打翻了碗，地上一片狼藉。
表示大量、众多，常后接复数名词。
There was a mess of paperwork on his desk.
他的桌子上有一大堆文件。
表示处于混乱或困境状态。
The room was in a mess after the party.
派对后房间一片狼藉。
表示弄乱或搞糟某事。
He made a mess of the project by ignoring the instructions.
他无视指示，把项目搞砸了。
Not this
He made mess in the kitchen.
Use this
He made a mess in the kitchen.
在表示“制造混乱”时，“mess”前必须加不定冠词“a”，构成固定短语“make a mess”。
Not this
The room is in mess.
Use this
The room is in a mess.
在短语“in a mess”中，“mess”前需要加不定冠词“a”，表示“处于混乱状态”是固定搭配。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
一团糟
The room is a mess after the party.
派对后房间一团糟。
弄得一团糟
Don't make a mess in the kitchen.
别把厨房弄得一团糟。
一大堆的
He left a mess of papers on the desk.
他在桌上留下一大堆文件。
陷入困境
His finances are in a mess.
他的财务一团糟。
收拾残局
We need to clean up the mess in the garage.
我们需要清理车库的混乱。
陷入麻烦
She got into a mess with her taxes.
她的税务陷入了麻烦。
乱七八糟；陷入困境
His life was in a mess after he lost his job.
他失业后生活一团糟。
搞糟；弄乱
She made a mess of the project by not following instructions.
她不按指示做，把项目搞砸了。
混乱；困境
The whole situation is a mess.
整个局面一片混乱。
哎呀，你可把我们弄进一个大麻烦了。
After he lost the keys, she joked, 'This is a fine mess you've gotten us into.'
他丢了钥匙后，她开玩笑说：‘你可把我们弄进一个大麻烦了。’
Use mess naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
联想：mess 发音像“没收拾”，即混乱的状态。
register: informal; typical_settings: 日常生活、口语; note_zh: 通常用于口语，描述事物杂乱无章或处境困难。
常与介词 in 或 of 连用，如 in a mess（混乱），a mess of（大量）
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.