回りくどい

• Reading: まわりくどい
• Romaji: mawarikudoi
• Kanji breakdown: 回 (kai/mawa) — turn, go around, revolve
• Pronunciation: /ma.wa.ɾi.kɯ.do.i/

Meaning

Circuitous; roundabout; indirect; long-winded. Describes speech or methods that take unnecessarily long.

An i-adjective describing communication or actions that are unnecessarily indirect. Often used to criticise someone's way of speaking: 回りくどい言い方 (roundabout way of saying something). Can also describe methods or processes: 回りくどいやり方 (roundabout approach). Carries a mildly negative tone suggesting that directness would be preferred.

Examples

1. 回りくどい言い方をせずに、はっきり言ってほしい。 Stop beating around the bush and just say it plainly.
2. 彼の説明は回りくどくて要点が分からなかった。 His explanation was so roundabout that I couldn't figure out the main point.
3. もっと簡単な方法があるのに、回りくどいやり方を選んだ。 There was a simpler way to do it, but he chose the roundabout approach.

Usage Guide

Context: conversation, business, criticism

Tone: critical

Origin & History

From 回り (mawari, going around) + くどい (kudoi, persistent/tedious). Literally 'going around tediously' — taking an unnecessarily long path to reach the point.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal