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.
The earth goes around the sun.
He goes around various countries for work.
To patrol or make rounds, often used for security guards, police, or inspections.
The security guard is going around the building.
To go around once, make a full circuit. Emphasizes completing a loop.
It took two hours to go around the lake.
To go here and there, visit various places casually.
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.
Please cut the pizza so that it goes around to everyone.
To be enough, sufficient. Often used in negative form to indicate shortage.
Casual version of 全員に行き渡る.
To pass from person to person, often referring to information or disease.
Intransitive verb meaning to spread, become widespread. Used for rumors, news, ideas.
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.
Please go around due to construction.
To take a long way around, make a detour. Can be used literally or figuratively.
I went around to avoid the traffic jam.
To take a roundabout way. Similar to 遠回りする but slightly more casual.
Let's go around through the park.
To go to someone's house or location, often informally.
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.
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.
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.
There's a rumor going around that he's quitting.
We don't have enough cake to go around.
She goes around telling everyone her problems.
Will the cake go around to everyone?
Share the snacks so they go around to everyone.
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.
He goes around bragging about his success.