expression, noun, adverb
more than one can use; countless; rolling in
Idiomatic expression meaning an excessive amount, so much that it would rot if left unused. Often used with money, examples, or things. Can be used adverbially or as a noun.
彼は腐るほど金を持っている。
He has money to burn.
そんな話は腐るほど聞いたよ。
I've heard countless stories like that.
腐るほどの服があっても、着るものがない。
Even though I have more clothes than I can possibly use, I have nothing to wear.
Also means 'a lot', but 山ほど is more neutral and simply indicates a large quantity, while 腐るほど emphasizes excess to the point of being wasteful or overwhelming.
Means 'to the point of being fed up'. 腐るほど can carry a similar nuance of excess, but うんざりするほど explicitly includes annoyance.
From 腐る (to rot) + ほど (extent). Literally 'to the extent that it rots', used idiomatically to express an overwhelming or excessive amount.