JLPT N1 grammar
〜まみれ — Meaning & Examples
"Covered in / smeared with X" — a literal (泥まみれ = covered in mud) or figurative (借金まみれ = buried in debt) thorough covering.
〜まみれ — "Covered In / Smeared With X"
まみれ attaches to nouns describing something messy, unpleasant, or unwanted that thoroughly covers a surface — literally or figuratively.
Pattern: [noun] + まみれ
子供たちは泥まみれになって遊んでいた。
= The children were playing, completely covered in mud.
一日中働いて、汗まみれになった。
= After working all day, I was drenched in sweat.
彼は借金まみれの生活を送っていた。
= He was living a life buried in debt. (figurative use)
ほこりまみれの本棚を掃除した。
= I cleaned the dust-covered bookshelf.
Literal vs figurative: 泥まみれ・汗まみれ・ほこりまみれ are literal (mud, sweat, dust). 借金まみれ・傷まみれ (covered in wounds, figuratively "battered") extend the same "thoroughly covered" image to abstract trouble.
Quick recap of the whole lesson:
・に至って(は) = now that it's reached the point of X (single extreme) 🚨
・に至るまで = all the way up to/down to X (full range) 📊
・からある／からの = as much/many as X (surprisingly large) 📈
・まみれ = covered in X (literal or figurative mess) 🟤
🎊 You can now measure a single extreme point, a full range, a surprising quantity, and a thorough covering — precise, native-level extent!
Practice questions
Try these 2 questions on 〜まみれ. Pick an answer in your head, then open “Show answer”.
1. 「子供たちは泥まみれになって遊んでいた。」 means?
- The children refused to play
- The children were playing, completely covered in mud
- The children cleaned the mud away
- The children avoided the mud
Show answer
Answer: The children were playing, completely covered in mud
まみれ = covered in / smeared with X — 泥まみれ = thoroughly covered in mud, a literal use.
2. 「彼は借金まみれの生活を送っていた。」 uses まみれ in which sense?
- Literal (physical covering)
- A question
- Figurative — buried in debt, extending the "thoroughly covered" image to trouble
- A compliment
Show answer
Answer: Figurative — buried in debt, extending the "thoroughly covered" image to trouble
借金まみれ extends まみれ figuratively — not literally covered, but thoroughly "buried" in an unwanted, messy situation (debt).
Practise 〜まみれ in the free app
This point is part of the “Up To, Covered In & As Much As — に至って(は)・に至るまで・からある(からの)・まみれ” lesson in A Star Japanese. Study it with examples, a quiz, flashcards and timed JLPT N1 mock exams. Free on iPhone and Android.
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Related N1 grammar points
From the same lesson: Up To, Covered In & As Much As — に至って(は)・に至るまで・からある(からの)・まみれ
Frequently asked questions
What does 〜まみれ mean?
"Covered in / smeared with X" — a literal (泥まみれ = covered in mud) or figurative (借金まみれ = buried in debt) thorough covering.
Is 〜まみれ on the JLPT N1 test?
〜まみれ is taught in the JLPT N1 grammar course in A Star Japanese (lesson “Up To, Covered In & As Much As — に至って(は)・に至るまで・からある(からの)・まみれ”), so it is a pattern learners at this level are expected to recognise. The JLPT does not publish an official grammar list, so treat this as a study guide rather than an official requirement.
How can I practise 〜まみれ?
Open the “Up To, Covered In & As Much As — に至って(は)・に至るまで・からある(からの)・まみれ” lesson in the free A Star Japanese app for iPhone and Android. It has examples, a quiz after every lesson, flashcards with spaced repetition and timed JLPT N1 mock exams, with no ads.