Monday, March 10, 2008

Similar words: Part I

だらけ VS. まみれ

~まみれ: Similar to ~だらけ in meaning "covered in X," but used only for filthy, dirty things. だらけ on the other hand is used for a variety of things, including, but not limited to those that are dirty.

例文: 3時間もサッカーをしていた息子は汗まみれ、泥まみれになって帰宅した。
例文: ゴールデンウィークにハワイに行ったら、日本人だらけだった。

まみれ Comes from the root verb 塗れる 【まみれる】 to be smeared; to be covered.

Other usages:
ほこりまみれ
油まみれ
垢まみれ (あかまみれ)

Can you, dear readers, contribute to this list?

2 comments:

yorkii said...

血まみれ

is also one for consideration!

yorkii said...

Another that I came across recently after watching the Big Labowski in Japanese is
小便まみれ :) as the dude gets his rug urinated on.