noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', intransitive verb
stopping by on the way; dropping in; side trip
Refers to making a brief stop at a place while en route to a main destination. Often used with する to mean 'to stop by'.
学校の帰りに本屋に寄り道した。
I stopped by the bookstore on the way home from school.
ちょっと寄り道してから帰ろう。
Let's make a quick stop before going home.
noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', intransitive verb
Emphasizes taking a longer or indirect route, often intentionally. Can be used for physical paths or figuratively.
今日は寄り道して公園を通ってきた。
Today I took a detour and came through the park.
話が寄り道してなかなか本題に入らない。
The conversation keeps going off on tangents and never gets to the point.