How to say "roundabout" in Japanese

• ロータリーCommon
  nounCovers only the traffic sense: a circular road junction where traffic moves around a central island, also called a rotary or traffic circle. It has nothing to do with indirect speech.
• 遠まわしとおまわしCommon
  na-adjective, nounThis is the word for the figurative sense: roundabout expression, indirect reference, or criticism that stops short of saying things outright — hinting at a point rather than stating it.
  遠とおまわしに彼かれの意見いけんを探さぐった。↗

  I sounded him out about his views.
• 婉曲えんきょくJLPT N1approx.Common
  na-adjective, nounReally means euphemistic or circumlocutory: wording things in a softened, periphrastic way rather than stating them bluntly. For roundabout speech in general it is only a marginal match; 遠まわし is the word you want.

Use 「ロータリー」 for the traffic sense, a circular road junction; use 「遠まわし」 for roundabout expressions, indirect references, or criticism; 婉曲 is for euphemistic, circumlocutory wording rather than indirectness in general.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• ロータリーrotary
• 遠回しとおまわしroundabout (e.g. expression)
• 婉曲えんきょくeuphemistic
• 迂遠うえんroundabout
• 円形交差点えんけいこうさてんroundabout
• 回り遠いまわりどおいroundabout
• ラウンドアバウトroundabout
• 環状交差点かんじょうこうさてんroundabout
• 回りくどいまわりくどいcircuitous
• 婉曲的えんきょくてきeuphemistic
• まどろっこしい(frustratingly) slow
• まだるい(frustratingly) slow
• まだるっこい(frustratingly) slow
• まだるっこしい(frustratingly) slow
• まどろっこい(frustratingly) slow