だらけ

Suffix (Intermediate ㊥ 25)

A suffix that indicates that something/someone is covered or filled with something undesirable.

Equivalent: Full of; filled with; covered with

スミスさんはいつも泥だらけの靴を履いています。: Mr. Smith is always wearing shoes covered with mud.
この作文は間違いだらけです。: This composition is full of mistakes.
長いこと掃除をしていなかったらしく、床も机の上もほこりだらけだった。: Apparently they have not cleaned the room for a long time and the floor and the tables were covered with dust.
病院に担ぎ込んだ時、その男の顔は血だらけだった。: When we carried him into the hospital, the man's face was covered with blood.
泥だらけの足で入って来ないで。: Don't come in with muddy feet.
借金だらけの生活をしています。: I am living a life with many debts.
この貝は砂だらけで食べにくい。: This seashell contains a lot of sand, so eating is difficult.

Formation

(i) Noun1	だらけのNoun2
	ごみだらけの部屋	A room filled with rubbish
(ii) Noun1はNoun2	だらけだ
	部屋はごみだらけだ	The room is full of rubbish

Notes

だらけ is used when something is covered with something undesirable, but if something is covered with something desirable だらけ cannot be used.

床の上{には札束がゴロゴロしていた/*は札束だらけだった}。
On the floor were scattered bundles of money.

その学生の論文{にはいいアイディアがいっぱいあった/*はいいアイディアだらけだった}。
In the student’s paper there were a lot of good ideas.

【Related Expression】

The difference between だらけ and まみれ is that the latter means 'totally covered/mixed with dirty liquid/powder such as blood, sweat, mud or dust,' excluding intangible objects, whereas the former can be used not only with liquid/powder but also to cover holes/pimples, and intangible objects, as in Key Sentence (B) and Example (d). More examples to show the difference follow:

[1]

私の作文は訂正{だらけ/*まみれ}だった。
My composition was full of corrections.

[2]

僕のズボンは穴{だらけ/*まみれ}だ。
My pants are full of holes.

[3]

少年の顔はにきび{だらけ/*まみれ}だった。
The boy's face was covered with pimples.

[4]

凸凹{だらけ/*まみれ}の道を三時間も運転して、疲れてしまった。
I got tired after driving on a bumpy road for as long as three hours.