1.
a large-scale disturbance or riot; a breakdown of public order in which crowds act violently
A formal word for serious public disorder — riots, mob violence, or civil unrest. Stronger than 騒動 (a commotion) and used in news reports, legal contexts, and historical writing. The word emphasizes that the disturbance is widespread and threatens public order.
街で騒乱が起きた。
A disturbance broke out in the city.
政府は騒乱を鎮圧した。
The government suppressed the riot.
選挙の結果をめぐって各地で騒乱が発生した。
Riots broke out in various regions over the election results.
騒乱罪で多数の者が逮捕された。
A large number of people were arrested on charges of rioting.
A formal term for serious civil disorder, typically appearing in news, legal, or historical contexts. Not used for small-scale commotions.
USAGE:
- Written Japanese and formal speech; rare in casual conversation.
- 騒乱罪 is an established legal term for the crime of rioting.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 騒乱が起きる: a riot breaks out
- 騒乱を起こす: to start a riot
- 騒乱を鎮圧する: to suppress a disturbance
- 騒乱状態: a state of unrest
- 騒乱罪: the crime of rioting
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 騒動: commotion, uproar — broader and weaker; includes everyday fusses and scandals as well as disturbances.
- 暴動: riot — emphasizes violent action by a mob; often used interchangeably with 騒乱 but focuses on the violence itself rather than the breakdown of order.
- 内乱: civil war, insurrection — implies an organized, armed uprising, much larger in scale.
REGISTER:
Formal and written. Journalists, officials, and historians use it; ordinary speakers prefer 騒ぎ or 騒動.