Explore 迷 in situations from losing your way to struggling with a choice. Learn each reading with a whole word.

The idea

迷 has 9 strokes; follow the linked stroke-order diagram. 迷う（まよう） means to lose one’s way or hesitate, 迷子（まいご） is a lost child, and 迷惑（めいわく） means trouble or inconvenience.

Patterns to compare
WordReadingMeaning
迷うまようget lost; hesitate
迷子まいごlost child
迷惑めいわくinconvenience

Examples

  • 道みちに迷まよいました。I got lost.
  • 駅えきで迷子まいごを見みかけました。I saw a lost child at the station.
  • どちらを選えらぶか迷まよっています。I am unsure which one to choose.
  • ご迷惑めいわくをおかけしました。I am sorry for the inconvenience I caused.
  • 森もりで道みちに迷まよわないように、地図ちずを持もって行いきます。I will take a map so I do not get lost in the forest.
  • 進路しんろに迷まよったとき、先生せんせいに相談そうだんしました。When I was unsure about my future path, I consulted my teacher.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

迷う can describe uncertainty as well as a lost route. 迷惑 is not a lost child: it describes trouble caused to someone.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 迷う in hiragana.

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    まよう

    迷う is まよう; 道に迷う means to lose one’s way.

  2. Write the reading of 迷子 in hiragana.

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    まいご

    迷子 is まいご, a lost child; learn the special reading as a whole word.

  3. Choose the missing kanji: ＿惑（めいわく）［迷／近］.

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    迷

    迷 completes 迷惑（めいわく）, inconvenience caused to someone.

Use it today

Write 迷 following the diagram. Cover the readings, read 迷う and 迷子, then make a sentence about a choice.