内乱

• Reading: ないらん
• Romaji: nairan
• Kanji breakdown: 内 (nai) — internal; 乱 (ran) — disorder, rebellion, chaos
• Pronunciation: /naiɾaɴ/

Meaning

Civil war; insurrection; large-scale internal armed conflict threatening the authority of a state.

A noun for serious, often armed conflict within a country between competing factions. More severe than 内紛 (infighting) and used interchangeably with 内戦 in some contexts, though 内乱 often emphasises the chaotic, destabilising nature of the conflict. 内乱罪 (crime of insurrection) is a specific and grave offence under Japan's Penal Code.

Examples

1. 独立戦争後も内乱が長期化し、新政府の国内安定化には多くの年月を要した。 Even after the war of independence ended, civil war dragged on for years, and it took a great deal of time for the new government to stabilise the country.
2. 軍によるクーデターが内乱の引き金となり、首都は一夜にして混乱状態に陥った。 A military coup triggered civil war, and the capital plunged into chaos overnight.
3. 内乱罪は日本の刑法において国家の根幹を脅かす最も重大な犯罪の一つとして位置づけられている。 The crime of insurrection is regarded under Japan's Penal Code as one of the most serious offences, as it threatens the very foundations of the state.

Usage Guide

Context: politics, history, law, international relations

Tone: serious

Origin & History

From 内 (internal) and 乱 (disorder, chaos, rebellion). 乱 depicts a hand working with tangled threads in hopeless disorder — a powerful kanji conveying rebellion, upheaval, and the collapse of social order.

Cultural Context

Era: Historical to Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Educated