鳩はとが豆まめ鉄でっ砲ぽうを食くったよう

expression

wide-eyed in shock; dumbfounded

Idiomatic simile describing someone's stunned, wide-eyed expression, like a pigeon suddenly hit by a pea shooter. Often used with verbs like する or なる.

• 突とつ然ぜんの知しらせに、彼かれは鳩はとが豆まめ鉄でっ砲ぽうを食くったような顔かおをした。

  At the sudden news, he looked like a pigeon shot by a peashooter—completely dumbfounded.

• 鳩はとが豆まめ鉄でっ砲ぽうを食くったようになって、しばらく言こと葉ばが出でなかった。

  I was so stunned I couldn't speak for a while, like a pigeon hit by a peashooter.