Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
面食らう (めんくらう) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Freq. Frequency Top 100,000 Conjugation Meanings 1
godan verb (-u), intransitive verb
be bewildered ; be taken aback ; be flustered
Describes a sudden, often visible reaction of confusion or surprise when faced with something unexpected. Commonly used when someone is momentarily at a loss for words or doesn't know how to react.
彼かの 女じょ の 率そっ 直ちょく な 物もの 言い い に 面めん 食く らっ た 。
I was bewildered by her blunt way of speaking.
Written forms 面めん 食く らう Usage 63%
Standard kanji spelling; the most common written form.
面めん くらう Usage 14%
search-only kanji form
Search-only form; not a standard spelling.
めんくらう Usage 12%
面めん 喰く らう Usage 10%
Variant using the older 喰 kanji; less common but still encountered.
Kanji 喰 eat, drink, receive (a blow) Similar words 戸と 惑まど う 戸惑う implies a more prolonged state of confusion or uncertainty about what to do, while 面食らう emphasizes a sudden, momentary shock or surprise that throws one off balance.
慌あわ てる 慌てる focuses on panicking or rushing due to surprise, often with visible fluster, whereas 面食らう is more about being mentally thrown off without necessarily acting hastily.
Etymology Compound of 面 (face, surface) and 食らう (to eat, to receive, often used in the sense of being struck or affected by something). Literally 'to be hit in the face', figuratively extended to mean being suddenly surprised or bewildered.
