裏うら道みち

う

ら

み

ち

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

noun

back lane; back street; byway

A narrow, less-traveled road or alley, often away from main streets. Used literally for physical paths.

裏うら道みちを通とおって駅えきまで近

ちか

道みち

し

た

。

I took a shortcut to the station through the back streets.

この裏うら道みちは夜よるは暗くらくて危あぶない。

This back lane is dark and dangerous at night.

2

noun

unfair means; dishonest means; underhanded way

Figurative use: a shady or improper method, often implying evasion of rules or norms. Common in phrases like 裏道を使う.

彼かれは裏うら道みちを使つかって入にゅう試しに合ごう格かくしたらしい。
He apparently passed the entrance exam using underhanded means.
裏うら道みちを通とおさずに正せい々せい堂どう々どうと勝しょう負ぶしよう。
Let's compete fairly without resorting to dishonest methods.

Usage patterns

〈場ば所しょ〉の裏うら道みちを通とおるto go through the back streets of a place
近きん所じょの裏うら道みちを通とおって学がっ校こうに行いった。
I went to school through the back streets of the neighborhood.
裏うら道みちを使つかうto use underhanded means
彼かれは成せい功こうするために裏うら道みちを使つかった。
He used underhanded means to succeed.
裏うら道みちに入はいるto turn into a back alley
車くるまを避さけて裏うら道みちに入はいった。
I turned into a back alley to avoid the traffic.

Kanji

裏back, amidst, in
道road-way, street, district

Related words· 6

抜ぬけ道みち sense 1
裏道 is simply a back street or side path, while 抜け道 specifically highlights using it to bypass traffic or, figuratively, to find a clever loophole.
裏うら口ぐちN2sense 2
裏道 refers to a shady method or route in general, while 裏口 specifically evokes a hidden 'back door' connection used for improper dealings.
小こ道みち sense 1
小道 is a neutral term for any narrow path, whereas 裏道 specifically implies a back route away from main streets.
邪じゃ道どう sense 2
邪道 emphasizes a morally or professionally improper method or path, close to the dishonest-means sense of 裏道.

Show 2 more

横よこ道みちN1
裏道 emphasizes a hidden or back-route path used to avoid the main street, whereas 横道 simply names a branching side street.
路ろ地じN1
裏道 is a back street or shortcut used to avoid main roads, while 路地 is specifically a narrow alley, often too small for cars.

Opposites

大おお通どおりN2sense 1
大通り is a main, busy street, the direct opposite of the narrow, out-of-the-way 裏道.
正せい道どう sense 2
正道 is the proper, honest way of doing something, the opposite of the underhanded 裏道 in its figurative sense.

Built from

裏うら+道みち

Etymology

Compound of 裏 (ura, 'back, reverse side') and 道 (michi, 'road, way'). The figurative sense developed naturally from the idea of a hidden or less-visible path.