苦く杯はい

noun

bitter experience; bitter defeat; ordeal

Almost exclusively used in the set phrase 苦杯をなめる (to have a bitter experience; to suffer a bitter defeat). The literal meaning 'bitter cup' is rare outside this idiom.

See also: 苦杯をなめる

• 彼かれは選せん挙きょで苦く杯はいをなめた。

  He suffered a bitter defeat in the election.

• 交こう渉しょうの末すえ、苦く杯はいをなめることになった。

  After the negotiations, we ended up having a bitter experience.