錯

音読おんよみ: サク

訓読くんよみ: まじ-る

画数かくすう: 16

部首ぶしゅ: かねへん(金)

Meaning

Mix / Confuse / Be Mistaken

  • 錯覚さっかく — illusion; mistaken perception
  • 交錯こうさく — crossing; intertwining; being mixed together
  • 錯誤さくご — error; mistake (often in legal or logical contexts)
  • 錯綜さくそう — being complicated and tangled; intricate mixture
  • 錯乱さくらん — mental confusion; derangement

This kanji combines the metal radical on the left with the phonetic element on the right. Originally it could refer to inlaid or alternating metal pieces. From the idea of things being layered and mixed, the meaning shifted to “mixed up,” “confused,” and then “mistaken.”

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