How to say "confusion" in Japanese

• 混乱こんらんJLPT N3approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbConfusion as a state of disorder, in the mind or in a situation thrown into disarray; this is the general-purpose word and the safe choice when unsure which to use.
  国会こっかいは混乱こんらんのうちに散会さんかいした。↗

  The Diet broke up in confusion.
• 混同こんどうJLPT N1approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbConfusion in the sense of mixing one thing up with another — treating two similar things, such as ideas or terms, as if they were the same rather than a state of bewilderment.
  欲望よくぼうを愛あいと混同こんどうするな。↗

  Don't confuse desire with love.
• 混沌こんとんCommon
  no-adjectiveChaos rather than puzzlement: a jumbled, disordered state of affairs lacking any clear order or shape. It points to chaos and disorder, not a person's momentary bewilderment.
• 戸惑いとまどいCommon
  noun, suru verbConfusion as a personal feeling: being at a loss or thrown off balance by something unexpected, unsure how to react. It names the bewilderment inside the person, not a disordered situation.
• 錯乱さくらんCommon
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbConfusion as a severely disturbed state of mind — distraction verging on derangement — rather than everyday puzzlement; for ordinary cases of being confused this is seldom the word you want.
  今いまはフレッドの錯乱さくらんが治おさまって静しずかに眠ねむっています。↗

  Fred's agitation has now subsided, and he's sleeping peacefully.

For confusion as disorder use 混乱, for mixing things up use 混同, for utter chaos use 混沌, for personal bewilderment use 「戸惑い」, and for severe mental derangement use 錯乱.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 混乱こんらんdisorder
• 混同こんどうconfusion
• 混沌こんとんchaos
• 戸惑いとまどいbeing at sea
• 錯乱さくらんconfusion
• 乱調らんちょうconfusion
• 乱雑らんざつdisorder
• 混迷こんめいturmoil
• 紛糾ふんきゅうcomplication
• 無秩序むちつじょdisorder
• 乱脈らんみゃくdisorder
• 当惑とうわくbewilderment
• まぎれconfusion
• 狼狽ろうばいconfusion
• どさくさconfusion
• てんやわんやconfusion
• ごったconfusion
• 周章しゅうしょうconfusion
• 紛乱ふんらんconfusion
• 取り込み事とりこみごとconfusion
• 乱調子らんちょうしconfusion
• とぎまぎconfusion
• コンフュージョンconfusion
• 撹乱かくらんdisturbance
• 狼藉ろうぜきdisorder
• 紊乱びんらんdisorder
• 惑乱わくらんbewilderment
• もやくやtrouble
• 昏迷こんめいstupefaction
• 周章狼狽しゅうしょうろうばいconsternation
• どさくさ紛れどさくさまぎれ(in the) confusion (of the moment)
• 混雑こんざつconfusion
• 取り込みとりこみconfusion
• むちゃくちゃdisorder
• ごたごたconfusion
• 混線こんせんgetting mixed up (of different topics in a conversation)