# まみれ: covered with; stained; smeared with ~ > Learn how to use まみれ, a JLPT N1 Japanese grammar point meaning covered with, with structure, nuance, examples, mistakes, and comparisons. JLPT level: N1 · Updated: 2026-05-18 · Canonical: https://hane-app.com/blog/n1-mamire/ **まみれ** means **covered with; stained; smeared with ~**. It is a **JLPT N1** Japanese grammar pattern used to describe a surface or person that is completely, often messily, covered in an unpleasant substance. This grammar point gives your descriptions a visual, sensory punch—think dirt crusted on skin, oil soaked into clothes, blood smeared across a scene. It’s common in both casual storytelling and formal writing, and if you want to paint a vivid picture of something thoroughly grimy, **まみれ** is the tool you need.
まみれ makes the messiness vivid—it’s not just “covered,” it’s smeared, stained, or crusted all over.
## What does まみれ mean? Use **まみれ** when a person, object, or surface is completely covered in a messy, often unpleasant substance. The pattern emphasizes the extent and the unsightly texture of the covering. Natural translations include: - covered with; stained with; smeared with; crusted with; all over ~ The best translation depends on what is clinging. If it’s liquid, “smeared with” or “soaked in” often fits. If it’s powder or dirt, “caked in” or “covered in” works better. Don't think of it as a generic “full of” — it’s about a coating that sticks. ## How to form まみれ
まみれ
+
N
Attach **まみれ** directly to a **noun** — no particle, no の.
泥(どろ) → 泥(どろ)まみれ
血(ち) → 血(ち)まみれ
The resulting compound functions as a **noun** or **な-adjective**. You’ll often see it followed by になる or している:
泥まみれ(どろまみれ) → 泥まみれ(どろまみれ)になる (become covered in mud)
血まみれ(ちまみれ) → 血まみれ(ちまみれ)している (is smeared with blood)
The noun before まみれ is always the substance doing the coating — it has to be something that can stick, smear, or stain. ## When is まみれ used? Use **まみれ** when: - a person or object is completely covered in a messy substance (mud, blood, sweat, oil, dust, flour, paint) - you want to stress the visual and tactile impression — the stuff is all over, and it’s unpleasant - the coating is the result of an action (playing in the dirt, an accident, hard work) Tone and register: - natural in spoken Japanese, but also common in written descriptions (novels, news reports) - carries a negative or gritty nuance; you wouldn’t use it for a tidy covering (like “covered with stickers” → だらけ, not まみれ) - often appears in fixed compounds like 血まみれ(ちまみれ) (blood-stained), 泥まみれ(どろまみれ) (mud-caked), 汗まみれ(あせまみれ) (drenched in sweat) ## まみれ example sentences
子供こどもが泥どろまみれで帰かえってきた。 The child came home covered in mud. colloquial
事故じこ現場げんばは血ちまみれだった。 The accident scene was covered in blood. dramatic writing
夏なつの工事こうじで汗あせまみれになった。 I got covered in sweat from the summer construction work. personal experience
倉庫そうこにはほこりまみれの書類しょるいが山積やまづみになっていた。 Dust-covered documents were piled up in the warehouse. descriptive
油あぶらまみれの手てでスマホを触さわらないで。 Don't touch your phone with hands smeared in oil. casual warning
After reading each sentence, notice how まみれ paints the state: it’s not just a little dirt—it’s everywhere, and it’s clinging. ## Nuance of まみれ The core nuance is that the substance is **thoroughly coating the surface** in a **messy, unstoppable way**. It’s not a light sprinkle; it’s a layer that stains, smears, or crusts. This matters because other patterns like だらけ also mean “covered with,” but they lack the sticky, textural feel that まみれ carries. Think of a kid who has rolled in mud (まみれ) versus a floor covered with toys (だらけ). The first is about a coat of filth; the second is about many objects.
💡 If the substance is countable or abstract (mistakes, problems, wrinkles), use だらけ, not まみれ. まみれ requires a material that can smear or soak.
The emotional weight is discomfort, disgust, or gritty realism. You’ll often see まみれ in crime scenes, war stories, or rough sports descriptions — settings where the mess is inseparable from the story. ## まみれ vs だらけ Both translate to “covered with,” but the overlap ends there.
まみれ
Noun + まみれ
Whole surface is coated in an unpleasant, sticky or powdery substance — mud, blood, sweat, flour, oil. The coating is inseparable and often messy.
泥まみれ(どろまみれ)の靴(くつ)
shoes caked in mud
vs
だらけ
Noun + だらけ
A surface or situation full of many things, often negative, but those things can be abstract or countable — mistakes, wrinkles, debts, toys. The items are numerous, not necessarily coating the surface as a layer.
間違い(まちがい)だらけの書類(しょるい)
a document full of mistakes
A quick rule of thumb: if you can wipe it off in one go and it leaves a stain, use まみれ. If you’d need to pick up individual pieces, use だらけ.
❌ 間違い(まちがい)まみれの答案(とうあん) ✅ 間違い(まちがい)だらけの答案(とうあん) 間違い(まちがい) is not a substance that smears — だらけ is natural.
The verb **まみれる** (血(ち)にまみれる) is a slightly more literary equivalent of まみれになる, but the noun + まみれ is far more common in everyday speech. ## Common mistakes with まみれ
❌ 泥(どろ)のまみれの車(くるま) ✅ 泥まみれ(どろまみれ)の車(くるま) まみれ attaches directly to the noun — no の.
❌ ゴミまみれの部屋(へや) (if the trash is solid pieces) ✅ ゴミだらけの部屋(へや) Only use まみれ if the garbage is a sticky, smeary mess; otherwise だらけ.
❌ お金まみれ(かねまみれ)の人生(じんせい) (wanting to say “life full of money”) ✅ お金(かね)だらけの人生(じんせい) Abstract concepts like money, problems, or wrinkles take だらけ.
The most common trap is reaching for まみれ any time you want to say “covered.” Always pause and ask: is this a layer of something sticky, or just many of something? ## Is まみれ on the JLPT?
N1
まみれ is a staple vocabulary/grammar item at the N1 level, though its clear visual meaning makes it one of the easier N1 points to master.

On the JLPT you may encounter:

While it’s not the hardest N1 point, practicing original sentences with a range of messy substances will cement it for the test. ## Practice questions for まみれ
1 You see a friend after a paintball game. Describe them using まみれ. visual description
2 Write a sentence where まみれ is used in a になる construction to show a change of state. grammar practice
3 Which is correct for “a car covered in mud” — 泥まみれ(どろまみれ) or 泥(どろ)だらけ? Explain why. nuance check
4 Create your own example with 汗まみれ(あせまみれ) and imagine the situation. free production
Try answering out loud first, then write the sentences down. Compare your まみれ usage with a classmate or tutor if possible. ## Learning path for まみれ
1 Memorize the direct noun attachment rule — no の, no particle. Write five compounds: 泥まみれ(どろまみれ), 血まみれ(ちまみれ), 汗まみれ(あせまみれ), 油まみれ(あぶらまみれ), ほこりまみれ.
2 Practice reading sentences with those compounds and identifying whether the coating is messy and sticky. This builds your internal sense for when まみれ is appropriate.
3 Study the まみれ vs だらけ comparison above, then quiz yourself with a list of nouns (泥(どろ), 間違い(まちがい), 血(ち), お金(かね), ゴミ) and decide which suffix fits each one.
4 Produce original sentences describing messy situations from your life — cooking, gardening, exercise. Aim for three sentences without looking at examples.
5 Read a short story or news article that uses まみれ in context (crime reports, sports articles). Notice how the word shapes the atmosphere.
With each step, move from passive recognition to active production. The messy, tactile imagery of まみれ sticks in memory easily once you connect it to real experiences. ## Related grammar to review next - [まるっきり](/blog/n1-marukkiri/) — because it also intensifies a state (completely, utterly) and appears in negative contexts, much like まみれ describes total coverage. - [まくる](/blog/n1-makuru/) — adds a sense of relentlessly doing something; just as まみれ shows a surface thoroughly coated, まくる shows an action done over and over, often to messy effect. - [めく](/blog/n1-meku/) — another N1 suffix that attaches to nouns to show a quality (～らしくなる); comparing it with まみれ sharpens your sense of how single-kanji suffixes work. - [まじき](/blog/n1-majiki/) — a formal negative suffix (“unthinkable”); contrast its abstract meaning with まみれ’s physical coating to appreciate the range of suffix-based grammar at N1. ## Learn まみれ with Hane If you want to review **まみれ** together with the related patterns above, Hane helps you practice Japanese in short, focused sessions. You’ll see these points in context, get instant feedback, and build speed for the JLPT. Browse more lessons here: - [All grammar lessons](/blog/) - [JLPT N1 grammar lessons](/blog/n1/)