1.
turbidity, cloudiness
The state of a liquid being cloudy or murky due to suspended particles. Also used for the clouding of normally clear body parts like the lens of an eye.
水が混濁している。
The water is turbid.
大雨の後、川の水が混濁した。
After the heavy rain, the river water became murky.
白内障は水晶体が混濁する病気だ。
Cataracts are a disease in which the lens of the eye becomes cloudy.
2.
confusion, muddiness (of consciousness or morals)
A state of mental confusion or moral corruption. Used figuratively to describe unclear thinking or a morally degraded society.
意識が混濁している。
Consciousness is clouded.
高熱で意識が混濁した。
Consciousness became clouded due to a high fever.
患者は意識混濁の状態で病院に運ばれた。
The patient was brought to the hospital in a state of impaired consciousness.
USAGE:
A formal, technical word used in medical, scientific, and literary contexts. In medicine, 意識混濁 (clouding of consciousness) is a standard clinical term. The physical sense (turbid water) appears in environmental science and water quality discussions.
KANJI NOTE:
混 (mix, muddle) + 濁 (turbid, muddy). Both characters relate to muddiness, reinforcing the meaning.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 意識混濁: clouding of consciousness
- 水の混濁: turbidity of water
- 混濁した液体: turbid liquid