Chinese word

走弯路

Pronunciation

Pinyinzǒu wān lù

Meaning

  • verbtake a detour

Example

不要再走弯路，直接问老师吧。bú yào zài zǒu wān lù zhí jiē wèn lǎo shī ba

Don't take any more detours; just ask the teacher directly.

Illustration for 走弯路 (take a detour)

More examples

如果经验不足，容易走弯路。rú guǒ jīng yàn bù zú róng yì zǒu wān lù

If you lack experience, you are likely to take detours.

Core concept

Progress follows a crooked route because the chosen method is not the most effective one.

Common phrases

  • 少走弯路sháo zǒu wān lù

    take fewer detours

  • 避免走弯路bì miǎn zǒu wān lù

    avoid taking detours

  • 别再走弯路bié zài zǒu wān lù

    don't take detours again

Similar words

绕弯路rào wān lù: Going around by a winding route instead of taking the direct way, which wastes time and effort.
走冤枉路zǒu yuān wǎng lù: Spending extra time and effort on actions that are not needed.
绕远路rào yuǎn lù: Going to a destination by a longer route, so the journey takes more time.

Definition in Chinese

在达到某一目标的过程中，因为方法不当或经验不足而走不必要的曲折路，导致时间和精力被浪费。zài dá dào mǒu yí mù biāo de guò chéng zhōng yīn wèi fāng fǎ bú dàng huò jīng yàn bù zú ér zǒu bú bì yào de qū zhé lù dǎo zhì shí jiān hé jīng lì bèi làng fèi

Word origin

The phrase 走弯路 (zǒuwānlù, "take a detour") joins 走 (zǒu, "go") and 弯路 (wānlù, "winding road"), turning travel along a curved road into a metaphor for wasted effort.

Usage tips

  • The word fits practical advice about methods and choices, so it commonly appears when someone is being urged to learn from experience or seek a better approach.

Other meanings

  • go aroundverb

Opposites

  • 走捷径zǒu jié jìngtake a shortcutverb

Word lists with this word