Japatan
Formation
- N + だらけ
Explanation
Attached to a noun, it means "there is so much ~ that it's a problem" or "the whole thing is covered with ~." It is often used with unpleasant or dirty things, as in どろだらけ (covered in mud), ごみだらけ (full of trash), 間違いだらけ (full of mistakes). Forms: 〜だらけだ, 〜だらけの + noun, 〜だらけで, 〜だらけになる.
Examples
雨の中でサッカーをしたので、服がどろだらけになった。
We played soccer in the rain, so my clothes got covered in mud.
急いで書いたレポートは、間違いだらけだった。
The report I wrote in a hurry was full of mistakes.
祭りの後、公園はごみだらけだった。
After the festival, the park was full of trash.
引っ越したばかりで、部屋が箱だらけで座る場所もない。
I just moved, so my room is full of boxes and there's nowhere to even sit.
Notes
It is not normally used for nice things: say 花でいっぱい, not 花だらけ. いっぱい can be positive, but だらけ carries the feeling that there is too much.
Related grammar
Mini quiz
1雨の日に山を歩いたので、くつが（ ）になった。
Answer and explanation
Answer: 3 どろだらけ
"I walked in the mountains on a rainy day, so my shoes got covered in mud." どろだらけ fits. どろがち and どろ気味 are not used, and どろっぽい cannot come before になった.
2この作文は字の間違い（ ）で、読みにくい。
Answer and explanation
Answer: 4 だらけ
"This essay is full of spelling mistakes and hard to read." 間違いだらけ fits. がち and 気味 do not attach to the noun phrase 字の間違い, and っぽい cannot take で.
3「だらけ」の使い方が正しい文はどれですか。
Answer and explanation
Answer: 2 兄の部屋は本だらけで、歩く場所もない。
2 is correct: "My brother's room is full of books, and there's no space to walk." 1 is about something good, and in 3 and 4 だらけ does not follow a noun.
