区别辨析confusion、disorder、disturbance、mess与chaos

这些名词均表示事物的混乱状态。

confusion : 指东西搅混在一起,凌乱得难以辨认;也可指思想混乱,以致无法进行正常的思维活动。

  • There seems to be some confusion over who is actually giving the talk.
    到底是谁作报告好像不是很清楚。
  • To avoid confusion, the twins never wore the same clothes.
    为了避免混淆,这对双胞胎从不穿一样的衣服。
  • In the confusion after the bomb blast, I lost my bag and wasn't able to stop and look for it.
    在爆炸发生后的一片混乱中,我丢了包,也无法停下来寻找。

disorder : 正式用词,含义广泛。指事物因失去原有的秩序而造成混乱;也可指社会中的动乱或骚乱。

  • The whole office was in a state of disorder.
    整个办公室里凌乱不堪。
  • The opposition party have been in such disorder for so long that they pose no real threat to the present government.
    反对党长期处于混乱状态,因而不会对现政府构成真正的威胁。
  • The trial was kept secret because of the risk of public disorder.
    因为有发生公众骚乱的危险,审判是秘密进行的。

disturbance : 主要指社会中政治性的动乱、骚乱;也可指个人或少数人的闹事。

  • serious disturbances in the streets
    街上的严重骚乱
  • He was charged with causing a disturbance after the game.
    他被指控在比赛结束后制造骚乱。
  • There was a minor disturbance during the demonstration, but nobody was injured.
    示威活动中发生了一起轻微的骚乱事件,但没有人受伤。

mess : 语气强,口语中较常用的非正式用词。指既混乱又肮脏,尤指人思想混乱或外表不整洁。

  • She said that her life was a mess.
    她说她的生活是一团糟。
  • I got myself into a mess by telling a lie.
    我因撒了一个谎而闯祸了。
  • The company's finances are in a mess.
    这家公司的财务状况一团糟。

chaos : 着重指令人无能为力或感到绝望的混乱状态。突出没有很好的组织。

  • Snow and ice have caused chaos on the roads.
    冰雪造成道路交通秩序混乱。
  • Ever since our secretary walked out, the office has been in a state of total/utter chaos.
    自从我们的秘书离开后,办公室就陷入了极度混乱中。
  • We muddled up the name labels and chaos ensued (= resulted).
    我们弄乱了姓名标签,结果一片混乱。