Translation guide
The English phrase "go around" has several distinct meanings, from physical movement to social behavior. This guide breaks down the most common uses and provides natural Japanese equivalents for each.
To physically travel around something, or to go from place to place.
General verb for going around, rotating, or making rounds. Can be used for both circular motion and visiting multiple locations.
地球は太陽の周りを回る。
The earth goes around the sun.
彼は仕事でいろいろな国を回っている。
He goes around various countries for work.
To patrol or make rounds, often used for security guards, police, or inspections.
警備員が建物を巡回している。
The security guard is going around the building.
To go around once, make a full circuit. Emphasizes completing a loop.
湖を一周するのに2時間かかった。
It took two hours to go around the lake.
To go here and there, visit various places casually.
週末は街をあちこち行くのが好きだ。
I like going around town on weekends.
To be sufficient in quantity so that each person gets some.
Literally 'to spread to all members', meaning there is enough for everyone.
ピザが全員に行き渡るように切ってください。
Please cut the pizza so that it goes around to everyone.
To be enough, sufficient. Often used in negative form to indicate shortage.
ケーキが全員に足りるかな？
Will the cake go around to everyone?
Casual version of 全員に行き渡る.
お菓子がみんなに行き渡るように分けてね。
Share the snacks so they go around to everyone.
To pass from person to person, often referring to information or disease.
Intransitive verb meaning to spread, become widespread. Used for rumors, news, ideas.
その噂はすぐに学校中に広まった。
The rumor went around the school quickly.
To be prevalent, going around (especially illness or fashion).
To be transmitted, passed along. Can be used for information or feelings.
To bypass an obstacle or go via an alternative route.
To detour, go around an obstacle. Formal but common in traffic contexts.
工事のため、迂回してください。
Please go around due to construction.
To take a long way around, make a detour. Can be used literally or figuratively.
渋滞を避けるために遠回りした。
I went around to avoid the traffic jam.
To take a roundabout way. Similar to 遠回りする but slightly more casual.
公園を通って回り道をしよう。
Let's go around through the park.
To go to someone's house or location, often informally.
To drop by someone's house. 寄る means to stop by.
帰りに友達の家に寄った。
I went around to my friend's house on the way home.
To go to visit for fun, hang out. Very common casual expression.
明日、君の家に遊びに行ってもいい？
Can I go around to your place tomorrow?
To regularly act or dress in a particular manner, often negative.
Pattern: いつも + verb in ている form. Describes habitual action, often with criticism.
彼はいつも不機嫌そうにしている。
He always goes around looking grumpy.
Verb stem + て回る means to go around doing something. Often implies moving from place to place while doing the action.
彼は自分の成功を自慢して回っている。
He goes around bragging about his success.
The English 'go around' often corresponds to specific Japanese verbs depending on context. Avoid directly translating 'go' and 'around' separately. For example, 'go around the corner' is 角を曲がる (かどをまがる), not 角の周りを行く.
回る (まわる) is a general verb for going around or rotating, while 迂回する (うかいする) specifically means taking a detour to avoid something. Use 回る for neutral circular motion or rounds, and 迂回する for bypassing obstacles.
彼が辞めるという噂が広まっている。
There's a rumor going around that he's quitting.
ケーキが全員に行き渡るほどない。
We don't have enough cake to go around.
彼女は自分の問題をみんなに言って回っている。
She goes around telling everyone her problems.
A cold is going around now.
その話は口コミで伝わった。
The story went around by word of mouth.