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惑う

To Be At A Loss


Meaning

To Be At A Loss, To Be Bewildered

Word Type

intransitive verb, godan verb

Explanation

Because the hiragana ends with an う sound, you know this word is a verb. The kanji itself means misguided, but the verb version is usually used to describe how you feel after being misguided — to be at a loss! 惑う usually refers to being in a quandary or a state of confusion. Using 惑う is kind of old-fashioned, but other forms like 惑わせる and 逃げ惑う (to flee frantically) are still fairly common in modern Japanese.


Reading

まどう

Explanation

Since this word consists of a kanji with hiragana attached, you can bet that it will use the kun'yomi reading. You didn't learn that reading with this kanji, so here's a mnemonic to help you: If you are going to be at a loss you're going to be mad (まど) about it, most likely. Nobody likes to feel at a loss, so imagine how mad you feel when you are.


Context

Patterns of Use

Common Word Combinations

  • 逃げ惑う

    to flee frantically

  • 判断を惑わせる

    to confuse someone's judgment

    心を惑わせる

    to confuse the mind

    人を惑わせる

    to misguide someone

  • 惑わせる

    to deceive

Context Sentences

俺は、この年になっても、まだくだらないことに惑うよ。

I'm still baffled by trivial things at my age.

不思議ですね。何が人を惑わせるんでしょうね。

It's curious, isn't it? I wonder what could be making people feel so lost.

人々は泣き叫び、逃げ惑っていた。

People were crying out and fleeing frantically.

その天使は、お前が惑うようにわざと仕向けたのだよ。

That angel has deliberately led you astray.

今は、なんというか、人生に惑うような気分です。

Right now, I just feel at a loss in life.


Kanji Composition