混同

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 混同(こんどう) means conflating things that should be distinguished, treating them as the same.
• Basic usage: Use 混同する for confusing similar terms or mixing up facts and speculation.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• と connects the two things
  • In 事実と推測を混同する, と joins the two things being confused. を links that combined object to the verb.
• Active and passive focus
  • 混同されて is passive, focusing on the things being conflated. The example shows the resulting confusion in the discussion rather than identifying who mixed them up.