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顔に泥を塗る

かおにどろをぬる

to disgrace someone

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Examples

  1. 親の顔に泥を塗るな。

    おやのかおにどろをぬるな。

    Don't disgrace your parents.

  2. そんなことをしたら会社の顔に泥を塗ることになる。

    そんなことをしたらかいしゃのかおにどろをぬることになる。

    Doing that would drag the company's name through the mud.

  3. 彼の失敗は、推薦してくれた先生の顔に泥を塗る結果になった。

    かれのしっぱいは、すいせんしてくれたせんせいのかおにどろをぬるけっかになった。

    His failure ended up disgracing the teacher who had recommended him.

Common patterns

親の顔に泥を塗る
to disgrace one's parents
顔に泥を塗られる
to be disgraced by someone
顔を立てる
to save someone's face (the opposite)

Memory tip

Smearing mud on someone else's face: the damage is always to another person's reputation, typically a parent, boss or mentor whose name you carry. It is the exact reverse of 顔を立てる.

Kanji in this word

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What does 顔に泥を塗る mean?