The word "烂摊子" is formed through a vivid metaphorical image. It combines "烂" (làn), meaning rotten, messy, or terrible, with "摊子" (tānzi), which literally refers to a vendor's stall or a scene of goods spread out on display. Together, they create the picture of a stall that is in complete disarray, goods are broken, spoiled, and scattered chaotically. This concrete scene is then applied abstractly to describe any situation, project, or set of responsibilities that has been left in a horribly disordered, damaged, and difficult-to-fix state, much like having to clean up someone else's disastrous mess.