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混淆 (hùn xiáo) — to confuse; to mix up; to blur (the boundary between)

Definition

A formal verb meaning to confuse or mix up two things (concepts, facts, boundaries). Unlike 模糊 (a vague state), 混淆 implies active blurring of distinct things; 误导 focuses on leading someone to the wrong conclusion.

verb
to confuseto mix upto blur (the boundary between)

Examples

  • 混淆。
    Zhè liǎng gè cí de yì si hěn róng yì hùn xiáo.
    The meanings of these two words are easily confused.
  • 混淆，。
    Yǒu xiē rén gù yì hùn xiáo shì fēi, lái dá dào zì jǐ de mù dì.
    Some people deliberately confuse right and wrong to achieve their own goals.
  • 混淆，。
    Tā zài bào gào zhōng hùn xiáo le bù tóng nián fèn de shù jù, dǎo zhì jié lùn cuò wù.
    He mixed up data from different years in the report, leading to incorrect conclusions.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

混hùnmix
淆xiáoconfuse

Mixing and confusion combine to mean blurring boundaries.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
昆
昆kūn混hùn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

混 pairs 氵 (water) on the left with 昆 on the right, which supplies the sound.

Open 混 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
肴
肴yáo淆
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

淆 is made of 水 (water) and 肴. The 水 part shows the meaning is about water, and the 肴 part shows how the character is pronounced.

Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Thinking & Cognition

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.