noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', transitive verb, intransitive verb
Primarily a psychological term for sensory illusions or hallucinations, but also used in everyday language for mistaken perceptions.
暗闇で人の顔に見えたのは錯覚だった。
What looked like a face in the dark was an illusion.
疲れていると、実際にはない音が聞こえる錯覚を起こすことがある。
When you're tired, you may experience an illusion of hearing sounds that aren't really there.
noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', transitive verb, intransitive verb
misunderstanding; misconception; delusion
Refers to a mistaken belief or false assumption, often about a situation or someone's intentions. Can overlap with sense 1 when the mistake is perceptual.
彼が親切なのは下心があるからだというのは錯覚だ。
It's a misconception that he's kind because he has ulterior motives.
多くの人が、成功すれば幸せになれると錯覚している。
Many people are under the delusion that success will bring happiness.