By the way… / Incidentally…
Neutral Neutral
What it really means
Introduced as a small side point, but it is often the main thing the person wanted to say all along. British speakers frequently save the real topic for a casual-sounding "by the way" at the end.
Chinese explanation
表面上是顺带一提的小事，实际往往正是对方一直想说的重点。英国人经常把真正的主题留到最后，用一句轻描淡写的 by the way 带出来。
Example conversation
A: Right, I'd better go. Oh, by the way… you know the car?
B: …What have you done to the car?
A：好了，我得走了。哦对了，顺便说一句……你知道那辆车吧？
B：……你把车怎么了？
All Politeness Decoder
Reviewed by the UK Decoded editorial team
· Last checked 24 July 2026 · Report a mistake