でたらめ
(1) nonsense, a made-up story, rubbish, (2) random, haphazard
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Examples
彼の話はでたらめだ。
かれのはなしはでたらめだ。
What he says is nonsense.
でたらめを言うのはやめてください。
でたらめをいうのはやめてください。
Please stop making things up.
彼は本棚に本をでたらめに入れた。
かれはほんだなにほんをでたらめにいれた。
He put the books on the shelf in no particular order.
Common patterns
- でたらめを言う
- to talk nonsense
- でたらめな話
- a made-up story
- でたらめに並べる
- to arrange at random
Memory tip
Two senses that share one idea — no basis at all. About what someone says it means "pure invention"; with に it means "any old way, at random". It is blunter and more accusing than 適当.
Quick check
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What does でたらめ mean?