taru-adjective, adverb taking the 'to' particle, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'
Describes people, especially citizens, being scattered or displaced due to war or disaster. Literary and somewhat archaic; often used in historical or formal contexts.
戦火に追われ、民は乱離として四方に散った。
Driven by the flames of war, the people scattered in all directions.
乱離の民を救うために、救援隊が派遣された。
A relief team was dispatched to save the dispersed citizens.
離散 is a more common term for scattering or dispersal, while 乱離 carries a stronger nuance of chaotic displacement due to war or calamity.
The exact derivation is uncertain; the kanji 乱 (disorder) and 離 (separation) suggest a state of chaotic dispersal.