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TOPIK 5expression

엎친 데 덮친 격

eopchin de deopchin gyeok [업친 데 덥친 격]

엎친 데 덮친 격으로 · 엎친 데 덮친 격이에요

to make matters worse; one misfortune on top of another; when it rains, it pours

Example

지갑을 잃어버렸는데 엎친 데 덮친 격으로 비까지 왔어요.

I lost my wallet, and to make matters worse, it started raining too.

Word parts

격 manner

Literally 'like being pounced on when you've already fallen.'

Good to know

In formal writing, 설상가상(으로) means the same thing.