弱(よわ)り目(め)に祟(たた)り目(め)

よわりめにたたりめ
expression
misfortune on top of misfortune; when it rains, it pours
proverb
1. misfortune on top of misfortune; when it rains, it pours
A proverb for fresh bad luck striking someone who is already down. 弱(よわ)り目(め) is a moment of weakness and 祟(たた)り目(め) a moment of divine punishment, so the saying piles one on the other.
弱(よわ)り目(め)に祟(たた)り目(め)だ。
It's one misfortune after another.
風邪(かぜ)をひいたうえに財布(さいふ)まで落(お)とすなんて、弱(よわ)り目(め)に祟(たた)り目(め)だ。
I caught a cold and then lost my wallet too. When it rains, it pours.
会社(かいしゃ)が倒産(とうさん)した直後(ちょくご)に家(いえ)まで台風(たいふう)で壊(こわ)れるとは、まさに弱(よわ)り目(め)に祟(たた)り目(め)だった。
Having the house wrecked by a typhoon right after the company went under was truly one disaster on top of another.

Usage

Usually said about one's own bad luck, or in sympathy: それは弱(よわ)り目(め)に祟(たた)り目(め)だね. Close English equivalents are "when it rains, it pours" and "misfortunes never come singly."

Similar words

Related Words

Compare: 泣(な)きっ面(つら)に蜂(はち) (a bee stinging a crying face)
Compare: 踏(ふ)んだり蹴(け)ったり (being hit by one bad thing after another)
general
Added 2026.10.7 3:49 · Revised 2026.10.7 3:53
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