泣(な)きっ面(つら)に蜂(はち)

なきっつらにはち
expression
misfortune on top of misfortune
proverb
1. misfortune on top of misfortune
Literally 'a bee sting on a crying face.' One piece of bad luck followed by another.
泣(な)きっ面(つら)に蜂(はち)だ。
When it rains, it pours.
財布(さいふ)をなくした上(うえ)に雨(あめ)に降(ふ)られて、泣(な)きっ面(つら)に蜂(はち)だった。
I lost my wallet and then got caught in the rain. One thing after another.
試験(しけん)に落(お)ちたその日(ひ)に風邪(かぜ)をひくなんて、まさに泣(な)きっ面(つら)に蜂(はち)だ。
Catching a cold on the very day I failed the exam: talk about bad luck piling up.

泣(な)きっ面(つら) is a colloquial form of 泣(な)き面(つら), a tearful face.

Similar words

  • 弱(よわ)り目(め)に祟(たた)り目(め): the same meaning, more old-fashioned
  • 踏(ふ)んだり蹴(け)ったり: being kicked when you're down (colloquial)

Related Words

Compare: 弱(よわ)り目(め)に祟(たた)り目(め) (misfortune on top of misfortune)
Compare: 踏(ふ)んだり蹴(け)ったり (one bad thing after another)
general
Added 2026.10.5 10:58 · Revised 2026.10.7 3:53
31500/31604_nakittsuranihachi