当あたらずといえども遠とおからず

Meanings

not exactly right, but close; not far off the mark

A set phrase meaning a guess or statement is not perfectly accurate but is roughly correct. Often used when acknowledging an approximation or near miss.

彼かれの推すい測そくは当あたらずといえども遠とおからずだった。
His guess wasn't exactly right, but it was pretty close.
この翻ほん訳やくは当あたらずといえども遠とおからずだと思おもう。
I think this translation is not far off the mark.

Kanji

当hit, right, appropriate
遠distant, far
中in, inside, middle
雖although, however

Related words

当あたらず触さわらず
Means 'neither hitting nor touching,' i.e., avoiding direct involvement or commitment; different from the 'close but not exact' nuance of 当たらずといえども遠からず.
的まとを射いる
Means 'to hit the mark' or 'to be exactly right'; the opposite of being slightly off.

Written forms

当あたらずといえども遠とおからず
Standard kanji-kana mixed spelling; the most recognizable form.
中あたらずといえども遠とおからず
Variant using 中 for あたる; less common but still encountered.
中あたらずと雖いえども遠とおからず
Literary variant using the classical 雖も for いえども; mainly in older or formal texts.

Etymology

A classical Japanese set phrase combining 当たらず (negative of 当たる, 'to hit the mark') + といえども ('even though one says') + 遠からず (negative of 遠し, 'far'). Literally 'even if one says it hasn't hit, it is not far,' i.e., a near miss.