横よこ道みち

よ

こ

み

ち

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

A smaller street branching off from a main road; often implies a narrow or less-traveled path.

急きゅう

に

静しず

か

に

なっ

た

。

When we turned off the main street into a side street, it suddenly became quiet.

2

digression; straying from the point

Figurative use for going off-topic in conversation or thought; often used in phrases like 横道にそれる.

〈話はなし〉が横よこ道みちにそれるfor a conversation to stray off topic
議ぎ論ろんが横よこ道みちにそれてしまった。
The discussion ended up straying off topic.
横よこ道みちに入はいるto turn into a side street
駅えき前まえの大おお通どおりから横よこ道みちに入はいると静しずかな住じゅう宅たく街がいが広ひろがる。
If you turn off the main street by the station into the side street, a quiet residential area opens up.

脇わき道みち sense 1
わき道 is any road leading off to the side, while 横道 more specifically suggests a street branching off at an angle from a main road.
脱だっ線せんN2sense 2
脱線 describes a conversation or train of thought derailing, a more dynamic image than 横道's simple 'straying onto a side path'.
裏うら道みち sense 1
裏道 emphasizes a hidden or back-route path used to avoid the main street, whereas 横道 simply names a branching side street.

本ほん道どう sense 1
本道 is the main road, directly contrasting with 横道, the smaller branching side street.

横よこ丁ちょう sense 1
横町 refers to a small alley or lane lined with shops or houses, while 横道 is simply any road that branches off a main one.

本ほんN5sense 1
As a physical road, 横道 is counted with 本, the counter for long thin things like streets.

Compound of 横 (yoko, 'side') and 道 (michi, 'road'). The figurative sense of 'digression' developed from the image of turning off the main path.