どろんこ

どろんこ
noun
muddy, covered in mud
1. muddy, covered in mud, mud-covered state
The state of being covered in mud, or mud itself (in childish speech). Very common in contexts involving children playing outside.
どろんこになった。
I got all muddy.
どろんこ(あそ)びをする。
To play in the mud.
子供(こども)たちがどろんこになって(あそ)んでいる。
The children are playing and getting all muddy.

どろんこ describes the state of being covered in mud, or mud itself in a playful, childish sense. It has a warm, nostalgic quality associated with children playing outdoors.

WORD FORMATION:
(どろ) (mud) + んこ (emphatic/childish suffix). Can also be written as (どろ)んこ.

COMMON EXPRESSIONS:

  • どろんこになる: to get all muddy
  • どろんこ(あそ)び: mud play (a common childhood activity)
  • どろんこ(みち): muddy road
  • どろんこだらけ: covered in mud everywhere

REGISTER:
Informal, with a childish or affectionate quality. Adults might use it nostalgically or when talking to/about children. For neutral descriptions, use (どろ)だらけ (muddy, covered in mud) instead.

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • (どろ): mud (neutral)
  • (どろ)だらけ: covered in mud (neutral/descriptive)
  • ぬかるみ: muddy ground, quagmire