とばっちり
とばっちり
noun
getting caught up in; collateral damage
1.
getting caught up in; getting splashed; collateral damage
Suffering unintended negative consequences from someone else's actions or a situation one wasn't directly involved in.
とばっちりを受けた。
I got caught up in it.
上司の機嫌が悪くて、とばっちりを食らった。
My boss was in a bad mood and I got caught in the crossfire.
友達の喧嘩のとばっちりで怒られた。
I got scolded as collateral damage from my friends' fight.
ETYMOLOGY:
Related to 飛ぶ (to fly) and ちる (to scatter) - originally referring to water splashing on a bystander. Now used metaphorically.
USAGE:
Describes being an innocent victim who suffers due to:
- Others' conflicts or mistakes
- Bad timing or being in the wrong place
- Chain reactions of negative events
COLLOCATIONS:
- とばっちりを受ける - to receive collateral damage
- とばっちりを食らう - to get caught up in (stronger)
- とばっちりが来る - collateral damage comes
REGISTER:
Casual, spoken Japanese. Often used humorously or with mild complaint.