後手ごて
JLPT: +
losing initiative, being forestalled

Kanji:
Noun
Example Sentences

こうなることは予測できたのに、何でもっと早く手を打たなかったの?いつも対応が後手後手じゃないの。
We had predicted such a thing might occur, so why didn't you act sooner? It feels like you are always behind with dealing with these sorts of things.