迷う

• Reading: まよう
• Romaji: mayou
• Kanji breakdown: 迷 (mei/mayo) — astray, be perplexed, lost
• Pronunciation: /ma.joː/

Meaning

To be puzzled; to be perplexed; to lose one's way. Used for both physical and mental states of being lost.

A Group 1 (godan) verb conjugated with the う row. An intransitive verb used for getting physically lost (道に迷う), being unable to decide (迷っている), and being confused or hesitant. Very common in daily conversation. The related noun 迷い means hesitation or doubt. Often appears in the pattern ～か迷う (to be torn between options).

Examples

1. 知らない街で道に迷ってしまった。 I ended up getting lost in an unfamiliar town.
2. 赤と青のどちらにするか迷っている。 I'm torn between red and blue.
3. 転職するかどうか、ずっと迷っていた。 I had been going back and forth on whether to change jobs for a long time.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, decision-making, travel

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 迷 combines 辶 (road/movement radical) and 米 (rice/scatter). Scattering on the road — losing direction, going astray among branching paths.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal