N2 Limits, Extent, and Range

~まくる: meaning, usage and examples

~まくる means: to do... excessively / to... like crazy.

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. 休やすみの日ひは、寝ねまくって体力たいりょくを回復かいふくさせる。

   On my days off, I sleep like crazy to recover my energy.

2. ストレス発散はっさんに、カラオケで歌うたいまくった。

   To relieve stress, I sang my heart out at karaoke.

3. 旅行りょこう中ちゅうに写真しゃしんを撮とりまくって、スマホの容量ようりょうがいっぱいになった。

   I took so many photos during the trip that my phone ran out of storage.

4. 試験しけんの前日ぜんじつは、過去問かこもんを解ときまくった。

   The day before the exam, I worked through past exam questions like crazy.

When to use it

Means doing something over and over, a lot, with great energy: "like crazy," "nonstop." Example: 「週末しゅうまつはゲームをやりまくった」. It is common in casual talk about fun, effort or stress relief: 歌うたいまくる, 食たべまくる, 遊あそびまくる, 撮とりまくる. Young people use it especially often.

Nuance

Casual spoken Japanese; avoid it in formal writing and polite business talk. The feeling can be enthusiastic or slightly excessive. Used for actions you repeat, not for one-time actions.

Compare

放題ほうだい means no limit or no control: 食たべ放題ほうだい (as much as you like). まくる stresses that someone actually did it a lot: 食たべまくった. 続つづける is neutral continuation: 歌うたい続つづける (keep singing). まくる adds intensity and repetition.

Tip: Use it only in casual conversation. In formal writing, say たくさん〜する or 〜し続つづける instead. Avoid it with superiors, too.