ずくめ is a suffix that attaches to nouns to express the meaning of "nothing but ~", "entirely ~", or "completely covered/filled with ~". It conveys that something is thoroughly and without exception characterized by the noun it attaches to.
Structure
Noun + ずくめ
The resulting expression functions as a noun or a の-modifier.
Common usage patterns
Describing appearance – "all in ~"
One of the most iconic uses of ずくめ is to describe someone dressed entirely in one color.
。
A man dressed all in black was standing on the dark street.
。
A group dressed entirely in white was marching.
Describing a streak of events – "nothing but ~"
ずくめ is used to express that a period of time has been filled with nothing but a certain type of event – often good things or bad things.
だっ。
This year was nothing but good things.
、。
Lately it's been nothing but busyness, and I have no time to rest.
Describing thorough treatment – "entirely ~"
It can also describe situations where something is characterized by luxury, rules, or other qualities without exception.
。
I was surprised by a table laden with nothing but fine dishes.
Important notes
- ずくめ attaches to a limited set of nouns, particularly colors (, ), abstract concepts (, , , , ), etc. It is not freely productive with all nouns – learners should acquire it through common collocations.
- Do not confuse ずくめ with だらけ ("full of", "covered in"). だらけ typically implies something negative or messy (e.g., だらけ "full of garbage"), whereas ずくめ emphasizes completeness and uniformity and can be used for positive things as well.
- Also distinguish from ("smeared with", "covered in"), which describes being physically covered in a substance like blood or mud.
Lingaku