1.
to be intricate; to be complicated; to be complex
Describes something that is tangled, intertwined, or complicated in structure. Used for physical layouts (winding streets, coastlines) as well as abstract situations (complicated circumstances, relationships).
入り組んだ路地が続く。
Intricate alleyways continue on and on.
事情が入り組んでいて簡単には説明できない。
The circumstances are complicated and can't be explained simply.
この地域は海岸線が入り組んでいるため、港が多い。
Because the coastline is intricate in this region, there are many harbors.
Almost always used in the ている form (入り組んでいる) to describe a state of being intricate or complicated. The past participle form 入り組んだ is also common as a modifier: 入り組んだ問題 (a complicated problem).
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 入り組んだ事情 — complicated circumstances
- 入り組んだ路地 — intricate alleyways
- 入り組んだ関係 — a tangled relationship
- 海岸線が入り組む — the coastline is jagged/indented