迷惑 (mí huò) — (verb) to confuse, to puzzle, to baffle; (adjec… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

迷惑 covers both 'to confuse/puzzle' (verb) and 'confused, bewildered' (adjective). It is broader and stronger than 困惑, which leans toward a person's inner state of puzzlement.

verb

to confuseto puzzleto baffle

adjective

confusedperplexedbewildered

Examples

迷惑。
Tā de huà mí huò le wǒ hěn cháng shí jiān.
His words confused me for a long time.
迷惑，。
Zhè ge wèn tí hěn mí huò, xū yào zǐ xì fēn xī.
This problem is very confusing and needs careful analysis.
迷惑，。
Miàn duì zhè zhǒng mí huò de qíng kuàng, tā lěng jìng sī kǎo.
Facing this confusing situation, he calmly thought.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

迷míbewilder

惑huòconfuse

The 迷 and 惑 senses both involve being lost or bewildered, so 迷惑 means to puzzle or confuse.

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

辵辵chuòwalk

Sound part声符shēngfú

米

米mǐ迷mí

Same sound today

迷 uses 辵, the walking part, and 米, which gives the sound.

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

或心惑

Meaning part形符xíngfú

心心xīnheart

Sound part声符shēngfú

或

或huò惑huò

Same sound today

惑 uses 或 for the sound and 心, the heart, for the meaning.

Appears in

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

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