ずくめ
Completely, Entirely, All in, Nothing but, A real streak of, Without exception, Jet
Structure
Noun (A) + ずくめ + の + Noun (B)
Explanation
This grammar point originates from the word 尽く, meaning 'to exhaust' or 'entirely', combined with め. Modern Japanese favors the hiragana spelling ずくめ. It is used to mean 'filled with (A)', 'a sea of (A)', or 'all about (A)'. When attached to a noun, it conveys that something is so completely dominated by (A) that it seems to be the only thing present.
When ずくめ is used to describe a noun that follows it, the particle の must be placed between them.
- 今週はずっと残業ずくめだった。This week has been nothing but overtime.
- 宝くじに当たって、いいことずくめだ。Ever since I won the lottery, it's been one good thing after another.
- 彼女はいつも白ずくめの服を着ている。She always dresses entirely in white.
- パーティーでの会話：「今日のパーティーは規則ずくめで息が詰まりそうだったよ。」Conversation at a party: 'Today's party was so riddled with rules, I felt like I was suffocating.'
While you might encounter the spelling づくめ in historical texts, it is generally seen as an outdated way of writing the word today.
ずくめ can be used to describe both positive and negative situations. However, because it often appears in established collocations, it's a good idea to stick with combinations you are already familiar with from native materials.
Fun Fact
尽くし is a related, older grammar form used to present a list of distinct but related items. It typically means 'a complete assortment of (A)' or 'various kinds of (A)'. This form comes from the conjunctive form of the う-Verb 尽くす, which means 'to exhaust everything', but with a voiced つ.
- 食卓にはご馳走づくしが並んでいた。The dining table was covered with a complete feast of delicacies.
Examples
この報告書は間違いずくめで、読むに堪えない。
This report is so full of mistakes, it's unreadable.
全身白ずくめの女性が角を曲がって消えた。
A woman dressed completely in white turned the corner and disappeared.
友人との会話：「財布を拾って、宝くじにも当たって、今日はラッキーずくめだったよ！」
Conversation with a friend: 'I found a wallet and also won the lottery; today has been nothing but good luck!'
彼の人生は苦労ずくめだったが、いつも笑顔を絶やさなかった。
His life was full of hardships, but he never stopped smiling.
学生：「あの教授のプレゼンは専門用語ずくめで眠たくなる。」
Student: 'That professor's presentations are nothing but technical jargon and make me sleepy.'
息子の結婚に孫の誕生と、今年はめでたいことずくめだ。
With my son's wedding and the birth of my grandchild, this year has been nothing but happy occasions.
ドラマの台詞：「あなたの言うことは、うそずくめじゃない！」
Line from a drama: 'Everything you say is nothing but lies!'
新聞の見出し：「世界中で起こる異常気象、前代未聞ずくめ」
Newspaper headline: 'Abnormal Weather Events Worldwide, an Unprecedented Streak'
彼はいつも文句ずくめで、聞いているだけで疲れる。
He is always full of complaints, and it's exhausting just to listen to him.
彼女の誕生日に、高級レストランで贅沢ずくめのディナーを楽しんだ。
For her birthday, we enjoyed a dinner that was the epitome of luxury at a high-end restaurant.
日記の一節：「今週は嫌なことずくめだった。早く週末になってほしい。」
Diary entry: 'This week has been nothing but unpleasant things. I wish it were the weekend already.'
会議の資料が数字ずくめで、頭が痛くなってきた。
The meeting materials were nothing but numbers, and I'm starting to get a headache.
遅刻するし、雨に降られるし、散々な日だと思っていたら、最後にサプライズずくめの歓迎会が待っていた。
I was running late and got caught in the rain, so I thought it was a terrible day, but at the end a welcome party filled with surprises was waiting for me.