So what’s the difference? Both phrases have a negative connotation and both can be used to say there are (too) many of something.

The most important distinction is that だらけ refers to something is covered in many individual things, whereas ばかり suggests only one from many possibilities.

怪我して体が傷だらけだった。
To have an accident and be covered in bruises.

怪我して体が傷ばかりだった。
(Sounds unnatural—what else could you be covered in after an accident?).

You May Also Like

Hearsay & Behaviour: ~そう & ~らしい

Although using そう with the standard form of the verb rather than the stem looks similar, the meaning…

Must & Must Not

The most standard way of saying “to have to” in Japanese is to say, “if you don’t do…

Expressing a Purpose: ため

One of the meanings of the noun 為ため is “objective” or “purpose”. 学費がくひの為ための貯金ちょきん。 Savings for school fees. Literally:…

What Should Be

This structure can also be seen with the verb “to become”. Here the meaning is that “it has…