だの～だの

The structure だの～だの is used to list multiple examples from a larger set, often with a negative, critical, or exasperated tone. It implies that the speaker finds the listed items annoying, excessive, or tiresome. It translates roughly to "things like A and B" or "A and B and so on."

This pattern can be used with nouns, verbs, and adjectives, and the items listed are typically presented as representative examples – not an exhaustive list.

Basic usage

Nuance: complaint or criticism

Unlike やらから～やら or とかから～とか, which can be neutral, だの～だの almost always carries a negative nuance. The speaker is typically expressing frustration, annoyance, or disapproval about the things being listed.

Quoting what someone says

だの～だの is used to quote or paraphrase things someone has said, especially when the speaker finds those statements unreasonable or tiresome.

With nouns

When used with nouns, だの directly attaches without any copula.

Important notes

• The items listed with だの～だの are always two or more.
• While the pattern can occasionally appear in neutral contexts, it overwhelmingly carries a tone of displeasure or exasperation.
• In formal writing, だの is relatively uncommon; it belongs primarily to spoken and informal written Japanese.