उलझन (uljhan)
noun
A feminine noun meaning a state of being tangled or confused -- used both literally (a knot, a tangle) and, far more commonly, figuratively for mental confusion or a perplexing problem. Related to the verb उलझना (ulajhnaa, 'to get entangled').
Sense
1
:
mental confusion, perplexity, dilemma
noun, feminine
Synonyms: उलझाव (uljhaav), असमंजस (asmanjas), दुविधा (duvidhaa), भ्रम (bhram)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: Delhi speakers reach for उलझन (uljhan) constantly in everyday complaint-mode -- about traffic, relationships, paperwork, exam choices -- anywhere your head feels tangled rather than simply sad or angry. It pairs naturally with the phrase उलझन में पड़ना (uljhan men padnaa, 'to fall into confusion'), which frames confusion as a state you fall into, not one you actively create.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for भ्रम (bhram) when they mean a nagging, unresolved worry rather than a simple factual mistake or illusion -- उलझन (uljhan) is the better word when someone is stuck weighing options or tangled in a problem, not merely mistaken about a fact. 2) The verb form उलझना (ulajhnaa) is intransitive ('to become entangled'); learners sometimes try to use उलझन (uljhan) itself as if it were a verb -- it is only the noun, so you need a separate verb like होना (honaa) or पड़ना (padnaa) to build a sentence around it.
Sample Sentences:
मुझे बहुत उलझन हो रही है।
I'm feeling very confused.
(mujhe bahut uljhan ho rahii hai।)
वह किस कॉलेज में दाखिला ले, इस उलझन में पड़ गई।
She fell into confusion over which college to enroll in.
(vah kis kolej men daakhilaa le, is uljhan men pad gaii।)
यह कागज़ी काम हमेशा मेरे लिए उलझन पैदा करता है।
This paperwork always creates confusion for me.
(yah kaagzii kaam hameshaa mere lie uljhan paidaa kartaa hai।)
अगर तुम शुरू से ही सब साफ़ बता देते, तो मैं इस उलझन में न पड़ता।
If you had explained everything clearly from the start, I wouldn't have fallen into this confusion.
(agar tum shuroo se hii sab saaf bataa dete, to main is uljhan men n padtaa।)
रिश्ते की यह उलझन उसे रात में सोने नहीं देती।
This confusion about the relationship doesn't let him sleep at night.
(rishte kii yah uljhan use raat men sone nahiin detii।)
ट्रैफ़िक के नए नियमों ने सबको उलझन में डाल दिया है।
The new traffic rules have thrown everyone into confusion.
(traifik ke nae niymon ne sabko uljhan men daal diyaa hai।)
क्या तुम्हें भी यही उलझन है कि नौकरी बदलूँ या नहीं?
Do you also have this same confusion about whether to change jobs or not?
(kyaa tumhen bhii yahii uljhan hai ki naukrii badloon yaa nahiin?)
कृपया अपनी उलझन साफ़-साफ़ बताइए, ताकि मैं मदद कर सकूँ।
Please state your confusion clearly, so that I can help.
(kripyaa apnii uljhan saaf-saaf bataaie, taaki main madad kar sakoon।)
परीक्षा से पहले हर छात्र इस तरह की उलझन में पड़ जाता है।
Before exams, every student falls into this kind of confusion.
(pariikshaa se pahle har chhaatr is tarah kii uljhan men pad jaataa hai।)
उसकी बातों से मेरी उलझन और बढ़ गई है।
My confusion has increased further because of what he said.
(uskii baaton se merii uljhan aur badh gaii hai।)
जब तक मामला ठीक से समझाया नहीं जाता, यह उलझन बनी रहेगी।
Until the matter is explained properly, this confusion will persist.
(jab tak maamlaa thiik se samjhaayaa nahiin jaataa, yah uljhan banii rahegii।)
Sense
2
:
a physical tangle or knot (of thread, hair, wires)
noun, feminine
Synonyms: गुत्थी (gutthii), गांठ (gaanth, mainly a tied knot rather than a loose tangle)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: This is the literal root sense -- think of tangled thread or hair, बालों की उलझन (baalon kii uljhan, 'the tangle in one's hair') -- from which the far more frequent 'mental confusion' sense grows by natural metaphor, the same way English uses 'tangled up' for a messy problem.
Sample Sentences:
उसके बालों में बहुत उलझन थी।
There was a big tangle in her hair.
(uske baalon men bahut uljhan thii।)
कंघी करते वक्त बालों की उलझन खुल गई।
The tangle in her hair came undone while combing.
(kanghii karte vakt baalon kii uljhan khul gaii।)
तार की इस उलझन को सुलझाना आसान नहीं है।
Untangling this knot of wire is not easy.
(taar kii is uljhan ko suljhaanaa aasaan nahiin hai।)
धागे में इतनी उलझन पड़ गई कि सुई निकालनी मुश्किल हो गई।
The thread got so tangled that it became hard to pull the needle out.
(dhaage men itnii uljhan pad gaii ki suii nikaalnii mushkil ho gaii।)
इयरफोन के तार की उलझन रोज़ की परेशानी बन गई है।
The tangle in the earphone wire has become a daily nuisance.
(iyarphon ke taar kii uljhan roz kii pareshaanii ban gaii hai।)
पहले बालों की उलझन सुलझाओ, फिर बाहर चलो।
First untangle the knot in your hair, then let's go out.
(pahle baalon kii uljhan suljhaao, phir baahar chalo।)
अगर तुम धागे को सही से लपेटते तो इतनी उलझन नहीं होती।
If you had wound the thread properly, there wouldn't have been such a tangle.
(agar tum dhaage ko sahii se lapette to itnii uljhan nahiin hotii।)
जूड़ा बनाते समय उसकी उलझन देखकर मुझे हँसी आ गई।
Seeing the tangle in her hair while she made a bun, I couldn't help laughing.
(joodaa banaate samay uskii uljhan dekhkar mujhe hansii aa gaii।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
उलझन
(uljhan)
(sg.f.oblique):
उलझन
(uljhan)
(pl.f.direct):
उलझनें
(ulajhnen)
(pl.f.oblique):
उलझनों
(ulajhnon)