1.
detour; roundabout route
Taking a longer or indirect route to reach a destination, either literally when traveling or figuratively when approaching a goal.
工事で遠回りした。
I had to take a detour because of construction.
遠回りだけど、景色のいい道を通ろう。
It's a detour, but let's take the road with the nice scenery.
遠回りに見えても、基礎をしっかり学ぶことが成功への近道だ。
Even if it seems like a roundabout way, studying the fundamentals thoroughly is the shortcut to success.
USAGE NOTES:
遠回り is used both literally (taking a longer route) and figuratively (an indirect or roundabout approach to something). The figurative use is very common.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 遠回りをする (to take a detour)
- 遠回りな言い方 (roundabout way of speaking)
- 遠回りに見える (to seem like a detour)
SIMILAR WORDS:
The opposite is 近道 (shortcut). 回り道 is a close synonym that also means detour.