Bewildered describes a person who is completely confused — so confused that they look it. Picture the face: eyebrows up, eyes searching the room, a small helpless pause before speaking. That is why the word turns up so often with words about appearance and behaviour: a bewildered look, a bewildered expression, staring bewildered at the screen, wandering around bewildered.

Bewildered「Bewildered」 describes a person who is completely confused用來形容一個完全搞不清楚狀況的人 — so confused that they look it搞不清楚到整個人看起來就是那樣。 Picture the face想像那張臉: eyebrows up眉毛揚起, eyes searching the room眼睛在房間裡搜尋, a small helpless pause before speaking說話前有個小小、無助的停頓。 That is why這就是為什麼 the word turns up so often這個詞這麼常出現 with words about appearance and behaviour跟外表和行為有關的詞搭配在一起: a bewildered look一臉茫然的表情, a bewildered expression困惑的神情, staring bewildered at the screen一臉茫然地盯著螢幕看, wandering around bewildered茫然地走來走去。

It is stronger than 'confused' and gentler than 'shocked'. There is no anger in it and usually no fear — just being lost. Often there is a touch of sympathy in the writer's voice, which is why it is used so much for children, for elderly people in unfamiliar places, and for anyone dropped into a situation they were not prepared for.

It is stronger than 'confused'它比「confused困惑」更強烈 and gentler than 'shocked'又比「shocked震驚」更溫和。 There is no anger in it裡面沒有生氣 and usually no fear通常也沒有害怕 — just being lost就只是迷失了方向。 Often there is a touch of sympathy in the writer's voice作者的語氣裡常常帶著一點同情, which is why這也是為什麼 it is used so much它這麼常用 for children在小孩身上, for elderly people in unfamiliar places用在到陌生地方的老人身上, and for anyone dropped into a situation they were not prepared for還有用在任何被丟進一個自己毫無準備的情況裡的人身上。

Grammar worth knowing: it is a participle adjective, so it goes before a noun ('a bewildered child') or after be/look/seem/feel ('she looked bewildered'), and what caused the confusion comes in with 'by' — 'bewildered by the crowds', 'bewildered by all the paperwork'. Do not use 'with' or 'about' there.

Grammar worth knowing值得知道的文法: it is a participle adjective它是一個分詞形容詞, so it goes before a noun所以可以放在名詞前面 ('a bewildered child')(「a bewildered child一個茫然的孩子」) or after be/look/seem/feel或放在be/look/seem/feel後面 ('she looked bewildered')(「she looked bewildered她看起來一臉茫然」), and what caused the confusion comes in with 'by'而造成困惑的原因用「by」帶出來 — 'bewildered by the crowds'「bewildered by the crowds被人群搞得一頭霧水」, 'bewildered by all the paperwork'、「bewildered by all the paperwork被一堆文件搞得暈頭轉向」。 Do not use 'with' or 'about' there這裡不要用「with」或「about」。

Keep it apart from its twin, bewildering: bewildered is how the PERSON feels; bewildering is what the THING is. 'I was bewildered by the bewildering timetable' — both in one sentence, and both correct.

Keep it apart from its twin, bewildering要把它跟它的雙胞胎「bewildering」分開來: bewildered is how the PERSON feels「bewildered」是這個人感覺到什麼; bewildering is what the THING is「bewildering」是那個東西本身是什麼樣子。 'I was bewildered by the bewildering timetable'「I was bewildered by the bewildering timetable我被那個令人一頭霧水的時刻表搞得一頭霧水」 — both in one sentence一句話裡兩個都用上, and both correct而且兩個都對。