Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
ひどい目にあう (ひどいめにあう) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
expression, godan verb (-u)
have a terrible experience ; go through hell ; get into trouble
Used when someone suffers a bad, painful, or difficult experience, often as a result of a mistake, bad luck, or someone else's actions. The phrase is an idiomatic expression combining ひどい (terrible) and 目にあう (to experience something unpleasant).
See also: 目にあう (めにあう)
彼かれ の せい で 、 私わたし たち は ひどい 目め に あっ た 。
Because of him, we went through a lot of trouble.
Written forms ひどい 目め にあう
Most common spelling; uses kana for ひどい and あう, with 目 in kanji.
酷ひど い 目め に 遭あ う
Kanji-heavy spelling; 酷い and 遭う are less common but still seen.
Kanji 酷 cruel, severe, atrocious Similar words 目め にあう The base expression meaning 'to go through an experience' (usually unpleasant). ひどい目にあう intensifies it by adding 'terrible'.
痛いた い 目め にあう Similar idiomatic expression meaning 'to learn a painful lesson' or 'to have a painful experience', often implying a lesson learned.
Etymology The phrase combines ひどい (terrible) with the idiomatic expression 目にあう (literally 'to meet an eye'), which figuratively means to encounter an unpleasant experience. The exact origin of 目にあう is uncertain, but it likely derives from the idea of 'seeing' or 'witnessing' hardship.
