Tendency and state
～まみれ
covered in; smeared with
AI-written, reviewed by AI (ChatGPT)
How to form it
- Noun + まみれ
Register: Neutral
Explanation
Says that something is thickly covered with a substance, usually dirty or unpleasant, such as mud, sweat, blood or dust.
The noun is something that sticks to a surface. It can also be used figuratively for unpleasant things such as debt.
Examples
子どもたちは泥まみれになって遊んでいる。
こどもたちはどろまみれになってあそんでいる。
The children are playing, covered in mud.
彼は汗まみれで帰ってきた。
かれはあせまみれでかえってきた。
He came home drenched in sweat.
手がインクまみれになった。
てがインクまみれになった。
My hands got covered in ink.
Compare with
- ～だらけ: だらけ means 'full of many'; まみれ means 'coated with a substance'.
Common mistakes
- Using it with pleasant things. It is nearly always unpleasant.