Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'asylum'

English Word: asylum

Key Russian Translations:

• убежище [uˈbʲeʐɨʂɨ] - [Neutral, Commonly Used]
• приют [prʲɪˈjut] - [Neutral, Often for Shelter or Refuge]
• психиатрическая больница [psʲɪxʲɪɐˈtrʲitɕɪskɐjɐ bɐlʲˈnʲitsɐ] - [Formal, Specific to Mental Institution]

Frequency: Medium (used in specific contexts like politics or healthcare)

Difficulty: B1-B2 (Intermediate, varies by context; "психиатрическая больница" may be C1 due to specificity)

Pronunciation (Russian):

убежище: [uˈbʲeʐɨʂɨ]

Note on убежище: Stress falls on the second syllable; the "щ" sound is a soft "shch".

приют: [prʲɪˈjut]

Note on приют: Stress on the second syllable; short and straightforward pronunciation.

психиатрическая больница: [psʲɪxʲɪɐˈtrʲitɕɪskɐjɐ bɐlʲˈnʲitsɐ]

Note on психиатрическая больница: Multi-word term; stress on "tri" in "психиатрическая" and "ni" in "больница".

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Protection or Safe Haven (e.g., political asylum)

Translation(s) & Context:

• убежище - Used for political or humanitarian refuge, often in formal or legal contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Он попросил убежище в другой стране из-за преследований.

  He sought asylum in another country due to persecution.

• Многие беженцы ищут убежище в Европе.

  Many refugees seek asylum in Europe.

• Правительство предоставило ему временное убежище.

  The government granted him temporary asylum.

2. Shelter or Refuge (e.g., a place of safety)

Translation(s) & Context:

• приют - Refers to a physical shelter or safe place, often for vulnerable people (e.g., orphans).

Usage Examples:

• Этот дом стал для неё приютом после потери семьи.

  This house became a refuge for her after losing her family.

• Приют для бездомных животных нуждается в помощи.

  The shelter for homeless animals needs help.

3. Mental Institution (e.g., psychiatric hospital)

Translation(s) & Context:

• психиатрическая больница - Formal term for a psychiatric facility, often outdated in casual speech.

Usage Examples:

• Его отправили в психиатрическую больницу для лечения.

  He was sent to a psychiatric hospital for treatment.

• В прошлом такие места называли "убежищем" для душевнобольных.

  In the past, such places were called "asylums" for the mentally ill.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

убежище (neuter noun, 2nd declension):

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	убежище	убежища
Genitive	убежища	убежищ
Dative	убежищу	убежищам
Accusative	убежище	убежища
Instrumental	убежищем	убежищами
Prepositional	об убежище	об убежищах

приют (masculine noun, 2nd declension): Follows similar declension patterns as above with regular endings.

психиатрическая больница: Compound phrase; "психиатрическая" (adjective) agrees in gender, number, and case with "больница" (feminine noun).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for убежище:

• укрытие (shelter, hiding place)
• пристанище (refuge, haven)

Note: "укрытие" often implies a temporary or physical hiding place, while "пристанище" has a more poetic tone.

Antonyms for убежище:

• опасность (danger)
• угроза (threat)

Related Phrases:

• искать убежище - to seek asylum (often in a political or legal sense)
• дать приют - to give shelter (to provide a safe place for someone)
• попасть в психиатрическую больницу - to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital

Usage Notes:

• "убежище" is the most common translation for "asylum" in the context of political or humanitarian protection. It is neutral in tone and widely understood.
• "приют" is more specific to physical shelters or homes for the disadvantaged, such as orphanages or animal shelters.
• "психиатрическая больница" is a formal and specific term for a mental institution. In modern Russian, "асилум" as a direct transliteration is rarely used and may sound outdated or foreign.
• Be cautious with context, as the meaning of "asylum" in English shifts significantly between refuge and mental hospital, and the Russian equivalents do not overlap.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "приют" for political asylum. Incorrect: "Он попросил приют в другой стране." Correct: "Он попросил убежище в другой стране." Explanation: "приют" implies a physical shelter, not legal protection.
• Error: Misusing "психиатрическая больница" in casual contexts. Incorrect: Referring to any hospital as such. Explanation: It specifically means a psychiatric facility, not a general hospital.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the concept of "убежище" is often tied to historical and political contexts, such as refugees fleeing war or persecution. The term carries a serious tone due to Russia's complex history with displacement and migration. Similarly, "психиатрическая больница" may evoke stigma, as mental health treatment has historically been a sensitive topic in Soviet and post-Soviet contexts.

Related Concepts:

• беженец (refugee)
• миграция (migration)
• защита (protection)