JLPT N1 grammar
〜ずくめ — Meaning & Examples
"Nothing but... / all..." — total, uniform description. いいことずくめ = nothing but good things; 黒ずくめ = dressed all in black.
〜ずくめ — "Nothing But... / All..."
ずくめ attaches to nouns to say something is ENTIRELY made up of one quality — uniform, through and through, with no exceptions.
Pattern: [noun] + ずくめ
いいことずくめの一日だった。
= It was a day of nothing but good things.
黒ずくめの服装で現れた。
= He appeared dressed all in black.
規則ずくめの生活には疲れる。
= A life of nothing but rules is exhausting.
ごちそうずくめのパーティーだった。
= It was a party with feast after feast — nothing but a spread of food.
Key feeling: Total saturation — scan the whole scene and every part matches: all good news, all black clothing, all rules.
Quick recap of this final lesson:
・ゆえ(に) = because of... (literary cause) 🖋️
・とあって = given that... (special circumstance) 🎪
・なりに／なりの = in one's own way (respectful) 🌱
・ずくめ = nothing but... / all... (total uniformity) ⚫
🎊🗻 With this, you've completed all 8 N1 Grammar lessons — 32 advanced patterns spanning timing, extremes, emphasis, compulsion, concession, universality, limits, and manner. 本当にお疲れ様でした！You now command a genuinely native-level grammatical range.
Practice questions
Try these 2 questions on 〜ずくめ. Pick an answer in your head, then open “Show answer”.
1. 黒ずくめの服装で現れた。 means?
- He wore no clothes
- He wore colourful clothes
- He appeared dressed all in black
- He changed his clothes to black once
Show answer
Answer: He appeared dressed all in black
ずくめ = nothing but... / all... — total, uniform description. 黒ずくめ = entirely in black, through and through.
2. いいことずくめの一日だった。 means?
- A day with one good thing
- A day of nothing but good things
- A day with no good things
- A day that was mostly bad
Show answer
Answer: A day of nothing but good things
ずくめ = entirely made up of one quality, no exceptions. いいことずくめ = a day saturated with nothing but good news.
Practise 〜ずくめ in the free app
This point is part of the “Cause, Circumstance & Manner — ゆえ(に)・とあって・なりに(の)・ずくめ” 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: Cause, Circumstance & Manner — ゆえ(に)・とあって・なりに(の)・ずくめ
Frequently asked questions
What does 〜ずくめ mean?
"Nothing but... / all..." — total, uniform description. いいことずくめ = nothing but good things; 黒ずくめ = dressed all in black.
Is 〜ずくめ on the JLPT N1 test?
〜ずくめ is taught in the JLPT N1 grammar course in A Star Japanese (lesson “Cause, Circumstance & Manner — ゆえ(に)・とあって・なりに(の)・ずくめ”), 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 〜ずくめ?
Open the “Cause, Circumstance & Manner — ゆえ(に)・とあって・なりに(の)・ずくめ” 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.