Selena Gomez Appears to Have Been Stung By Jellyfish on New Year's Day

Selena Gomez's new year got off to a bumpy start in Hawaii -- because she got stung by a jellyfish (or something like one) ... and had to be carried piggyback style to safety.

The singer was vacationing in Honolulu a few days ago to ring in 2020, and while she was at the beach on Jan. 1 ... it appears she got zapped by a creature of the sea -- we're told it looked to be a Portuguese man o' war. It's a jellyfish-type of animal but is more than just a single organism. Bottom line ... they're poisonous and hurt like hell.

Selena's reaction certainly seemed to reflect that. Photogs captured her limping back to shore with the assistance of some girlfriends, who then attentively knelt beside her on the sand as they checked out her injured foot. She was wincing through the ordeal.

At one point, a strapping young fellow picked up Selena and carried her on his back -- presumably, to get checked out by more than just concerned beach-goers.

She eventually cracked a smile along the way ... so hopefully she's feeling better. If she isn't, she's definitely putting on a brave face on social media. Looks like she'll be okay.