suffer setbacks 碰钉子

无论是工作还是生活，都不可能处处顺意，有时候难免会摔几个跟头，碰碰钉子。

“碰钉子”，中文俗语，比喻办事遭到拒绝或受到斥责（receive serious rebuff; be snubbed），与“碰壁”、“碰了一鼻子灰（suffer setbacks）”意思相近。

例句：

假如你不想碰钉子，就别去求他帮忙。

If you don't want to be brushed off, forget about asking him to give you a hand.

不老实的人非碰钉子不可。

A dishonest person is bound to meet with setbacks sooner or later.

要是我，我就不会去碰这个钉子。

If I were you, I wouldn't run my head against a brick wall.