Meaning

Primary

To Be At A Loss

Alternative

To Be Bewildered

Word Type

intransitive verb, godan verb

Explanation

Because the hiragana ends with an 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
  • Kyoko
    (Tokyo accent, female)
  • Kenichi
    (Tokyo accent, male)

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

Common Word Combinations

  • 逃げ惑う

    to flee frantically

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