婉曲|えんきょくenkyoku[0]heiban (flat)

1. na-adjective, nouneuphemistic; circumlocutory; periphrastic; roundabout; indirect

• Synonym遠まわしとおまわしNeutralA noun for beating around the bush, as in 「遠まわしに断る」; colloquial, while 「婉曲」 leans written and centers on euphemistic wording.
• Related間接的かんせつてきNeutralAn adjectival noun meaning indirect, as in 「間接的な影響」; broader in scope than 「婉曲」 and not limited to wording or speech.
• Related回りくどいまわりくどいNeutralAn adjective for tediously roundabout talk, as in 「回りくどい説明」; it carries a negative nuance that 「婉曲」 lacks.
• Antonym露骨ろこつNeutralMeans blatant or explicit, as in 「露骨な表現」; the opposite of 「婉曲」.
• Antonym直截ちょくせつNeutralMeans plain and straightforward, as in 「直截な表現」; the direct opposite of 「婉曲」.

To word things euphemistically instead of saying them outright, use 「婉曲」 (「婉曲に断る」「婉曲な表現」), which leans written; colloquially say 「遠まわし」. 「回りくどい」 is for tediously roundabout talk; the opposites are 「直截」 and 「露骨」.

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

1. 間接かんせつ的てきな。遠とおまわしな。