混乱

• Reading: こんらん
• Romaji: konran
• Kanji breakdown: 混 (kon) — mix, blend, confuse; 乱 (ran) — disorder, chaos, rebel
• Pronunciation: /koɴ.ɾaɴ/

Meaning

Confusion; chaos; disorder. A state where things are disorganized or people are bewildered.

A noun that also functions as a suru verb (混乱する, to become confused/chaotic). Used for both personal confusion and situational chaos. Common patterns: 頭が混乱する (to be mentally confused), 交通が混乱する (traffic is disrupted), 混乱を招く (to cause confusion). Describes everything from mild bewilderment to total mayhem.

Examples

1. 突然の発表でみんなが混乱している。 Everyone is confused by the sudden announcement.
2. 事故のせいで電車のダイヤが混乱した。 The train schedule was thrown into chaos because of the accident.
3. 情報が多すぎて頭が混乱してしまった。 There was too much information and my head got all mixed up.

Usage Guide

Context: news, daily life, emergencies

Tone: urgent

Origin & History

Compound of 混 (kon, to mix/blend) and 乱 (ran, disorder/chaos). Together, 'mixed-up disorder' — a state where everything is jumbled together.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal