複雑

What it means

What does 複雑 mean? It denotes something that is not simple because it consists of multiple parts or factors interacting in ways that make understanding, analysis, or prediction difficult. The core idea is interdependence and layered structure, whether in tangible objects or abstract ideas.

Main meanings

• Complexity arising from many interrelated parts or factors in a system, process, or situation.
• A mental or emotional state that involves multiple conflicting considerations, making decisions less straightforward.
• Used in formal and technical contexts to characterize problems, theories, or designs as non-straightforward or intricate.

How to use it

Used as a na-adjective to modify nouns with 〜な; common in formal writing, media, and everyday speech; collocations include 複雑な問題, 複雑な構造, 複雑さ; in predicates it appears as 複雑だ or 複雑です; often contrasted with 簡単 or 単純 to emphasize difficulty or sophistication.