also: なきっつらにはち
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.
I lost my wallet, and on top of that it started raining. It's like adding insult to injury.
The day after his heartbreak, he got fired from his job. It was truly making matters worse.
Standard modern spelling with the geminate っ.
Alternate spelling without the geminate っ; less common in modern usage.
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.