1.
detour, side trip, stopping by on the way
Making a stop at a place that is not one's main destination while on the way somewhere. Can also be used figuratively for getting sidetracked from a main task or topic.
帰りに寄り道した。
I made a stop on the way home.
学校の帰りに寄り道しないで帰りなさい。
Come straight home from school without making any detours.
出張の帰りに京都で寄り道して、観光を楽しんだ。
On the way back from a business trip, I made a side trip to Kyoto and enjoyed some sightseeing.
USAGE:
A warm, everyday word. Parents commonly tell children 寄り道しないで (don't make detours / come straight home). Also used figuratively: 話が寄り道する (the conversation goes off on a tangent). The word conveys a casual, unhurried feeling — the detour is usually for pleasure or curiosity rather than necessity.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 寄り道する: to make a detour, to stop by
- 寄り道しないで: without making detours
- 帰りに寄り道する: to stop somewhere on the way home
- ちょっと寄り道: a little side trip