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持って回る (もってまわる) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

持もって回まわる

も

っ

て

ま

わ

る

Meanings

1

expression, godan verb (-ru)

carry around; lug around

Physical sense of carrying something from place to place, often implying it is cumbersome or unnecessary.

彼かれはいつも重おもいカバンを持もって回まわっている。
He always carries around a heavy bag.
そんな大おおきな傘かさを持もって回まわるの

は

大たい

変へん

だ

。

It's a hassle to lug around such a big umbrella.

2

expression, godan verb (-ru)

roundabout; indirect; circuitous

Used for speech or actions that are not straightforward; often with a negative connotation of being evasive or unnecessarily complicated.

彼かれの説せつ明めいはいつも持もって回まわった言いい方かたでわかりにくい。
His explanations are always roundabout and hard to understand.
そんな持もって回まわったやり方かたでは時じ間かんがかかるだけだ。
Such an indirect approach will only take more time.

Written forms

持もって回まわる
Standard kanji spelling for the physical carrying sense; also used for the figurative roundabout sense.
もって回まわる
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially when the figurative nuance is emphasized or the kanji is avoided.

Kanji

持hold, have
回-times, round, game

Similar words

回まわりくどい
An adjective meaning 'roundabout' or 'circuitous', often used for speech. 持って回る is a verb phrase that can describe both physical carrying and figurative indirectness, while 回りくどい is purely figurative and adjectival.
遠とお回まわし
A noun/adjective meaning 'indirect' or 'euphemistic', typically used for speech. 持って回る implies a more cumbersome or evasive quality, while 遠回し can be a polite way of hinting at something.

Etymology

Compound of the te-form of 持つ (もつ, 'to hold') + 回る (まわる, 'to go around'). Literally 'to go around holding', it developed a figurative sense of being roundabout or indirect.