also: なきつらにはち
expression, noun
making matters worse; adding insult to injury
Proverbial expression used when one misfortune is followed by another, like a bee stinging a tearful face. Often used in the phrase 泣きっ面に蜂だ.
財布を落とした上に、雨まで降ってきた。泣きっ面に蜂だ。
I lost my wallet, and on top of that it started raining. It's like adding insult to injury.
彼は失恋した翌日に仕事もクビになった。まさに泣きっ面に蜂だった。
The day after his heartbreak, he got fired from his job. It was truly making matters worse.
Similar meaning: misfortunes never come singly. 泣きっ面に蜂 is more vivid and colloquial, while 弱り目に祟り目 is slightly more formal and often used in writing.
Literally 'a bee to a tearful face'. A traditional Japanese proverb; the exact origin is uncertain, but it vividly depicts a crying person being stung by a bee, symbolizing compounded misfortune.