Japanese word

遠回り

Pronunciation

Romajitōmawari

Meaning

  • noundetour

Example

今日は遠回りして帰ります。kyō wa tō mawa ri shi te kae ri ma su

I will take a detour on my way home today.

Illustration for 遠回り (detour)

More examples

景色を楽しむため、遠回りをして海岸沿いを歩きます。keshiki o tano shi mu ta me tō mawa ri o shi te kai gan so i o aru ki ma su

To enjoy the scenery, I take a detour and walk along the coast.

Core concept

It centers on reaching a goal by leaving the most direct route and going around through a longer path.

Common phrases

  • 遠回りをするtō mawa ri o su ru

    take a detour

  • 遠回りをして行くtō mawa ri o shi te i ku

    go the long way around

Similar words

回り道mawarimichi: A route that reaches a destination by going around a particular obstacle or area.
迂回ukai: A course that avoids a place or obstacle by going around it.

Definition in Japanese

必要な場所へ行くために、最短の道筋を外れて別の道を通ること。hitsu yō na ba sho e i ku ta me ni sai tan no michi suji o hazu re te betsu no michi o tō ru ko to

Word origin

遠回り (tōmawari) is formed from 遠い (tōi, "far") and 回り (mawari, "going around"), the noun form of 回る (mawaru, "to go around").

Usage tips

  • The proverb 急がば回れ (isogaba maware), meaning that a safe indirect route can be wiser than a rushed direct one, gives 遠回り (tōmawari) a memorable cultural context.

Other meanings

  • roundabout waynoun

Opposites

  • 近道chikamichishortcutnoun

Word lists with this word