だの～だのDismissive listing
だの～だの loosely lists examples of what people say or complain about, while suggesting that the speaker finds them tiresome, unreasonable, or not worth taking seriously. It often echoes labels, excuses, demands, or complaints and then gives a critical response to the whole list.
The list carries an attitude
The items usually sound as though the speaker is echoing other people's words: “this,” “that,” and so on. The important point is not simply that several things are named; it is that the speaker steps back from them and treats them as annoying claims, labels, excuses, or demands. A following clause commonly shows the speaker's judgment or response.
彼は給料が安いだの休みが少ないだの、会うたびに会社の文句を言う。
Every time I see him, he complains about the company—saying the pay is low, there are too few days off, and so on.
AnalyzeThe final clause presents the listed remarks collectively as habitual complaining.
Whole statements can be echoed
The construction is not limited to nouns. A verb or adjective in a plain form can be followed directly by だの. This is especially useful when repeating a string of excuses or objections.
読めないだの時間がないだのと言い訳をして、彼は資料に目を通そうともしなかった。
He made excuses about not being able to read it and not having time, and did not even try to look through the material.
AnalyzeEchoing labels
周囲は彼を天才だの革命児だのと呼んだが、本人は迷惑そうだった。
People around him called him a genius, a revolutionary, and so forth, but he himself seemed bothered by it.
AnalyzeHere the labels are echoed with distance rather than presented as the speaker's own neutral description.
Dismissal versus a crowded mixture
だの～だの highlights the speaker's dismissive attitude toward the listed words or ideas. By contrast, やら～やら can simply present a confusing, busy, or mixed collection without belittling its contents.
引っ越し前は荷造りやら手続きやらで、落ち着く暇もなかった。
Before the move, I was so busy with packing, paperwork, and everything else that I had no time to relax.
AnalyzeThis describes a crowded mixture of tasks; it does not dismiss the tasks as foolish excuses or complaints.
Give the list a clear destination
A sentence is clearest when the clause after the list tells us what happened because of those remarks: someone complained, refused, criticized, made excuses, or became fed up. That context makes the attitude unmistakable.
More examples
客は部屋が狭いだの眺めが悪いだの、散々不満を並べた。
The guest went on and on complaining that the room was small, the view was bad, and so forth.
Analyze忙しいだの疲れただのと言って、彼は家事を全部こちらに任せている。
Claiming that he is busy or tired or whatever, he leaves all the housework to me.
Analyze会議では前例がないだの危険すぎるだのと、反対意見ばかりが出た。
At the meeting, all we heard were objections—that there was no precedent, that it was too risky, and so on.
Analyze有名人だの専門家だのという肩書だけで、その人の意見を信じるべきではない。
You should not believe someone's opinion merely because they carry labels like celebrity or expert.
Analyze間に合わないだの担当者がいないだのと言われ、とうとう我慢の限界に達した。
After being told that it would not be ready in time, that the person in charge was unavailable, and so on, I finally ran out of patience.
Analyze彼らは規則が厳しいだの説明が足りないだのと騒いでいるが、まず案内を最後まで読むべきだ。
They are making a fuss about the rules being too strict and the explanation being inadequate, but they should first read the instructions to the end.
Analyze