迷惑

めいわく

trouble, bother, annoyance

JLPT N3

Character Breakdown

Meaning and Usage

The word 迷惑 (míhuo) primarily means 'to puzzle' or 'to confuse.' It is often used when someone or something causes confusion or uncertainty in understanding. It can describe feelings of being puzzled or situations that are perplexing.

Common Contexts

迷惑 is frequently used in everyday conversation to express confusion about unclear information, complicated situations, or ambiguous behavior. It can also be used to ask someone not to cause confusion.

Collocations and Patterns

  • 迷惑别人 (míhuo biérén): to confuse others; used when warning someone not to cause misunderstanding.
  • 迷惑 (gǎndào míhuo): to feel puzzled; describes a personal emotional state.
  • 迷惑 (ràng rén míhuo): to make people confused; often used to describe something that causes confusion.

Nuances

迷惑 carries a neutral to slightly negative tone, implying difficulty in understanding or clarity. It is different from words like (kùnhuò), which can imply deeper bewilderment or distress. Avoid confusing 迷惑 with 迷路 (to lose one's way), although both share the character .

Summary

Use 迷惑 when you want to express that something is confusing or puzzling, especially in communication or comprehension contexts. It is a useful word for describing unclear situations or when asking others to be clear.

Example Sentences

His answer puzzled me; I didn't understand what he really meant.

Please don't confuse others; explain your thoughts clearly.

The plot of this movie is very complicated, making the audience feel