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。
