also: なきっつら
tearful face; crying face
Refers to a face that is wet with tears or looks like one has been crying. Often used in the proverb 泣きっ面に蜂 (adding insult to injury).
She hung her head as if to hide her tearful face.
泣きっ面に蜂とは、まさにこのことだ。
This is exactly a case of adding insult to injury (literally, a bee on a crying face).
Common spelling with geminate っ; the reading なきっつら is standard.
Spelling without っ; less common but still used. Reading is なきつら.
Compound of 泣き (crying) and 面 (face). The geminate form 泣きっ面 is a common euphonic change.