Literally "to carry away leftovers from a meal that you cannot finish eating"; figuratively used as a warning or threat that someone will have to take responsibility for the serious trouble they have caused. caused

to face serious consequences; to be forced to take responsibility for a problem when things go wrong; often used as a threat to warn someone not to go too far

(idiom) impatient people cannot eat hot tofu; used to advise that one must be patient because rushing will ruin the result