A cock-up is a mess that happened because someone did something stupid, or did a job badly — the files went to the wrong people, the curtain came down too soon, the dates on the poster were wrong. It is British, informal, and blunt.

A cock-up是 is a mess that happened because someone did something stupid, or did a job badly是因為有人做了蠢事、或把事情搞砸而造成的一團亂——the files went to the wrong people, the curtain came down too soon, the dates on the poster were wrong像是檔案寄錯人、布幕太早放下來、海報上的日期印錯了。It is British, informal, and blunt這是英式、口語、而且直白的說法。

In careful writing, British people often prefer mix-up, blunder, or foul-up; Americans more often say screw-up. Teachers and newsreaders may avoid cock-up, because the first part is also a rude word for a man’s body, even though this meaning is “a bungled job”, not that.

In careful writing在比較講究的寫作裡，British people often prefer mix-up, blunder, or foul-up英國人比較常用 mix-up、blunder、或 foul-up；Americans more often say screw-up美國人則更常說 screw-up。Teachers and newsreaders may avoid cock-up老師和新聞主播可能會避免用 cock-up這個詞，because the first part is also a rude word for a man's body因為前半部也是一個指男性身體的粗俗字眼，even though this meaning is "a bungled job", not that雖然這裡的意思是「搞砸的事」，跟那個意思無關。

You will hear it at work and in the pub more than in a textbook. There is a matching phrasal verb: they cocked it up.

You will hear it at work and in the pub more than in a textbook你會在職場和酒吧聽到這個詞，多過在教科書裡。There is a matching phrasal verb有一個對應的片語動詞：they cocked it up「they cocked it up」（他們把它搞砸了）。

Though actually some people use it for any failure, even bad luck; the stricter use is “someone handled this badly”.

Though actually不過事實上 some people use it for any failure, even bad luck有些人會把它用在任何失敗上，就算只是運氣不好；the stricter use is "someone handled this badly"比較嚴格的用法是「有人把這件事處理得很差」。