明(あ)け暮(く)れる

あけくれる
ichidan verb
to be absorbed in; to spend one's days doing
1. to be absorbed in, to spend one's days doing, to be occupied with day and night
To devote oneself to a single activity from morning to night, day after day. Implies that the person does almost nothing else. Often used with に to mark the activity.
勉強(べんきょう)に明(あ)け暮(く)れる。
To be absorbed in studying day and night.
試験(しけん)前(まえ)は毎日(まいにち)勉強(べんきょう)に明(あ)け暮(く)れていた。
Before the exam, I spent every day absorbed in studying.
若(わか)いころは仕事(しごと)に明(あ)け暮(く)れ、家族(かぞく)との時間(じかん)がほとんどなかった。
In my younger days, I was consumed by work and had almost no time with my family.

CONJUGATION:

Ichidan verb (一段動詞(いちだんどうし)).

  • Negative: 明(あ)け暮(く)れない
  • Polite: 明(あ)け暮(く)れます
  • Te-form: 明(あ)け暮(く)れて
  • Past: 明(あ)け暮(く)れた

PATTERN:
〜に明(あ)け暮(く)れる: to be absorbed in ~
The activity is marked with に.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 仕事(しごと)に明(あ)け暮(く)れる: to be consumed by work
  • 勉強(べんきょう)に明(あ)け暮(く)れる: to be absorbed in studying
  • 練習(れんしゅう)に明(あ)け暮(く)れる: to devote oneself to practice

ETYMOLOGY:
明(あ)ける (to dawn) + 暮(く)れる (to grow dark) — from dawn to dusk, the idea is that one spends the entire day, from sunrise to sunset, engaged in the activity.

general
Added 2026.2.23 19:09
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