1.
digression; side note; tangential remark
A remark or story that departs from the main topic. Often used as a discourse marker to introduce an aside. Composed of 余 (surplus, extra) + 談 (talk).
余談ですが、面白い話があります。
As a side note, I have an interesting story.
余談はさておき、本題に入りましょう。
Setting digressions aside, let's get to the main topic.
余談になりますが、この建物には百年の歴史があるそうです。
As an aside, I hear this building has a hundred years of history.
USAGE:
余談 is commonly used as a discourse marker to signal that the speaker is about to say something off-topic. Common patterns include 余談ですが (as a side note), 余談になりますが (this is a digression, but), and 余談はさておき (setting aside digressions).
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 余談ですが (as a side note — polite)
- 余談はさておき (digressions aside)
- 余談になりますが (this is off-topic, but)
- ちょっと余談 (a brief digression)