耽误 (dān wù) is a transitive verb meaning 'to delay' or 'to cause harm by delaying' — it carries a strong sense of negative consequence, implying that the delay has led to missed opportunities, lost time, or tangible damage. The first character 耽 (dān) originally means 'to linger' or 'to indulge,' suggesting prolonged inaction; the second character 误 (wù) means 'to mistake' or 'to mislead,' reinforcing the idea of harmful error caused by that delay. Together, they convey not just postponement but consequential negligence — for example, missing a deadline, failing to act in time, or neglecting responsibilities.

This word is commonly used in formal and semi-formal contexts: in workplaces ('don’t delay the project'), education ('don’t let personal issues delay your studies'), healthcare ('delaying treatment can worsen the condition'), and daily life ('I delayed picking up my child and made them wait'). It’s rarely neutral — even small delays described with 耽误 imply some degree of fault or regret.