方違え

Reading

Kana: かたたがえ

Romaji: katatagae

Definition

noun

1

setting off the night before one normally would have departed, travelling in a different direction, spending the night there, and leaving for one's destination in the morning (done to avoid travelling in an unlucky direction; a common practice during the Heian period)

Note: archaism

See also: 方塞がり 方違へ所

Kanji

方

Readings: ホウ、 かた、 -かた、 -がた

Meanings: direction, person, alternative

違

Readings: イ、 ちが.う、 ちが.い、 ちが.える、 -ちが.える、 たが.う、 たが.える

Meanings: difference, differ