382 - ずくめ

This is one of those rare cases where we have a JLPT N1 grammar point that actually shows up quite frequently in daily life:

JLPT N1: ずくめ (in all; filled with; covered in; dripping with)

When we add ずくめ to the end of a noun, it means something like:
- in all NOUN
- filled with NOUN
- covered in NOUN

Here is how we construct it:

NOUN + ずくめ

Some nouns:
黒(くろ)= black*
こと = thing
ごちそう = feast

*Note: Although 黒い (くろい // black) is an i-adjective, when we drop the い, it becomes a noun, 黒 (くろ // black). In English, the spelling is the same: "black clothing" (=adjective) and "Black is my favorite color" (=noun). We've had two lessons about this before: [NDL #125] - White's Whitish White Whiteness, [NDL #130] - White's Whitish White Whiteness Continues.

Now we add ずくめ to our nouns to get "in all NOUN," "covered in NOUN," etc.

ずくめ in all black
ことずくめ filled with thing
ごちそうずくめ a complete feast


It is common to use this grammar point to express that someone is/was completely immersed in nice things, as in this example:

今年に入ってから兄が昇進したり妹が出産したり、おめでたいことずくめだ。
ことし に はいって から あに が しょうしん したり、 いもうと が しゅっさん したり、 おめでたいことずくめ だ。
Since this year began, my brother got promoted, and my sister had a baby. It's just full of joyous occasions.
Literally: "this year + に + enter (and) + から + older brother + が + promotion / advancement + doing (and also) + younger sister + が + giving birth + doing (and also), + happy / joyous + thing-ずくめ + だ."
Note: おめでたいこと literally means something like "a matter for congratulations." Remember how おめでとうございます means "Congratulations"...?

おめでたいこと = a joyous occasion; a cause for celebration; a matter for congratulations

おめでたいことずくめ = full of joyous occasions


But we don't always have to use ずくめ for nice things or luxury:

ヘビー・メタルが好きな娘は、いつもずくめの服装をしている。
ヘビー・メタル が すき な むすめ は、 いつも くろずくめ の ふくそう を している。
My daughter, who likes heavy metal, always dresses in all black.
Literally: "heavy metal + が + liked + daughter + は, + always + black-ずくめ + の + clothing + を + is doing."
Note: I'm not sure why, but 黒ずくめ (くろずくめ), meaning "entirely in black" or "in all black," seems to be the most common usage of ずくめ. I've seen it several times, so let's memorize it as is.


豆腐は色んな料理に使えるし値段も安いし、しかも健康にもいいから、いいことずくめだ。
とうふ は いろんな りょうり に つかえる し ねだん も やすい し、 しかも けんこう に も いい から、 いいことずくめ だ。
Not only can you use tofu in a lot of different dishes, but it's also cheap, and it's even good for you. It's just full of good things.
Literally: "tofu + は + various + cooking + に + can use + し + price + も + cheap + し, + moreover / on top of that + health + にも + good + because, + good + thing-ずくめ + だ."
Note: If you're confused by this usage of し, please check this lesson: [NDL #344] - JLPT N4: し (and, besides).


昨日の夜ごはんは和牛のステーキ、カニ、お父さんの手作りケーキとごちそうずくめだった。
きのう の よるごはん は わぎゅう の ステーキ、 カニ、 おとうさん の てづくりケーキ と、 ごちそうずくめ だった。
For dinner last night we had wagyu steak, crab, and a cake my dad made from scratch. It was a lavish feast.
Literally: "yesterday + の + dinner + は + wagyu (=Japanese beef) + の + steak, + crab, + father + の + handmade + cake + と + feast-ずくめ + was (=だった)."


That's all for this one.

Now go find some situations that are just dripping with something, and see if you can make one of these phrases.

Good luck!

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