〜だらけ
darake
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Meaning
"full of ~", "covered in ~" — always undesirable things.
Attaches straight to a noun. Unlike いっぱい, だらけ is negative: mud, dust, mistakes, blood.
Complaining or describing a mess.
Formation
V = verb, N = noun, A = adjective.
N + だらけ+ だ / の + N / で
Visual diagram
| Aspect | What it covers | Feel | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 〜だらけ | Many unwanted things or marks, anywhere | Negative | 間違いだらけの作文 |
| 〜まみれ (N2) | A liquid or powder sticking to a surface | Negative, physical | 汗まみれのシャツ |
| 〜でいっぱい | Anything, filled up | Neutral / positive | 花でいっぱいの庭 |
Natural examples
この作文は間違いだらけだ。
このさくぶんはまちがいだらけだ。
This essay is full of mistakes.
子供たちは泥だらけになって帰ってきた。
こどもたちはどろだらけになってかえってきた。
The children came home covered in mud.
部屋はほこりだらけで、掃除が大変だった。
へやはほこりだらけで、そうじがたいへんだった。
The room was thick with dust and a real job to clean.
Similar grammar and the difference
〜まみれ
Only for liquids or particles clinging to a surface (血まみれ, 泥まみれ). だらけ is broader and also abstract.
〜でいっぱい
Neutral 'full of', usable for good things (人でいっぱい, 喜びでいっぱい).
'-ish' (油っぽい = greasy). Describes a quality, not being covered. Compare side by side
Common mistakes
- ✗
- 庭は花だらけできれいだ。
- ✓
- 庭は花でいっぱいできれいだ。
- Why
- だらけ is negative and cannot describe something pleasant.
- ✗
- 泥だらけな靴
- ✓
- 泥だらけの靴
- Why
- Before a noun, だらけ takes の, not な.
- ✗
- この文章は間違いだらけがある。
- ✓
- この文章は間違いだらけだ。
- Why
- だらけ already means 'full of'; it does not combine with がある.
だらけ can be used jokingly or affectionately about oneself: 失敗だらけの人生. It attaches only to nouns; verbs and adjectives need a noun form first. In 読解, 傷だらけ and 間違いだらけ appear in descriptions of condition.
JLPT N3 tips
On the exam
- If the noun is something unpleasant (泥, ごみ, 傷, 間違い) and the sense is 'all over', だらけ is right.
- Choices may include まみれ; if the noun is not a liquid/powder (e.g. 間違い), only だらけ works.
- Watch the connector to a following noun: だらけの, never だらけな.
Frequently asked questions
What does 〜だらけ mean?
"full of ~", "covered in ~" — always undesirable things. Attaches straight to a noun. Unlike いっぱい, だらけ is negative: mud, dust, mistakes, blood.
How do you form 〜だらけ?
N + だらけ / + だ / の + N / で. V = verb, N = noun, A = adjective.
When is 〜だらけ used?
Complaining or describing a mess.
What is the difference between 〜だらけ and 〜まみれ?
Only for liquids or particles clinging to a surface (血まみれ, 泥まみれ). だらけ is broader and also abstract.
What is the difference between 〜だらけ and 〜でいっぱい?
Neutral 'full of', usable for good things (人でいっぱい, 喜びでいっぱい).
What is a common mistake with 〜だらけ?
Wrong: 庭は花だらけできれいだ。 Right: 庭は花でいっぱいできれいだ。 だらけ is negative and cannot describe something pleasant.
Quick check
サッカーの後、子供たちの服は泥（ ）だった。