Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'avaricious'

English Word: avaricious

Key Russian Translations:

• жадный [ʐɐdˈnɨj] - [Informal; commonly used in everyday contexts to describe excessive greed]
• скупой [skʊˈpoj] - [Formal; often implies stinginess or miserliness, used in more polished or literary settings]
• алчный [ɐlʲˈʧʲnɨj] - [Formal; emphasizes ruthless greed, especially in business or material pursuits]

Frequency: Medium (This word and its translations appear regularly in literature, media, and conversations about human behavior, but not as common as basic adjectives.)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; learners at this level can grasp the concept with practice, though nuances in formality may require B2 for full mastery. For 'жадный', it's B1; for 'скупой' and 'алчный', it's B2 due to more formal connotations.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

жадный: [ʐɐdˈnɨj] (The 'ж' sound is a voiced palatal fricative, similar to the 's' in 'measure'. Stress on the second syllable.)

Note on жадный: Be cautious with the soft 'д' sound, which can vary slightly in rapid speech. In some dialects, it might sound more like [ʐɐˈdnɨj].

скупой: [skʊˈpoj] (The 'у' is a short back vowel; stress on the second syllable. Pronounce with a clear 'п' stop.)

Note on скупой: The initial 'с' is unvoiced, and the word can have a slightly aspirated 'п' in careful speech.

алчный: [ɐlʲˈʧʲnɨj] (The 'ч' is a voiceless palatal affricate, like 'ch' in 'church'. Stress on the second syllable.)

Note on алчный: This word often carries a harsher tone; practice the soft 'лʲ' to avoid sounding unnatural.

Audio: Listen to pronunciation (Insert actual audio player or link here for users to hear native pronunciation.)

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: Extremely greedy for money or possessions.

Translation(s) & Context:

• жадный - Used in informal, everyday contexts to describe someone hoarding resources selfishly, e.g., in personal finance or relationships.
• скупой - Applied in formal or descriptive contexts, often implying a reluctance to spend, such as in economic discussions or character descriptions in literature.
• алчный - Employed in contexts involving ambition or unethical behavior, like business negotiations or historical analyses.

Usage Examples:

• Он был жадный до денег и никогда не делился с друзьями. (He was avaricious for money and never shared with his friends.)

  Translation: He was greedy for money and never shared with his friends. (This example shows 'жадный' in an informal, personal context.)

• Её скупой характер не позволял тратить на ненужные покупки. (Her avaricious nature didn't allow spending on unnecessary purchases.)

  Translation: Her stingy character didn't allow spending on unnecessary purchases. (Illustrates 'скупой' in a formal, self-restraint scenario.)

• Алчный бизнесмен обманул инвесторов, чтобы увеличить своё богатство. (The avaricious businessman deceived investors to increase his wealth.)

  Translation: The greedy businessman deceived investors to increase his wealth. (Demonstrates 'алчный' in a professional, unethical context.)

• Жадный коллекционер не позволял никому касаться своих редких монет. (The avaricious collector wouldn't let anyone touch his rare coins.)

  Translation: The greedy collector wouldn't let anyone touch his rare coins. (Shows 'жадный' with possessive behavior.)

• В романе описан скупой старик, который копил fortune всю жизнь. (The novel describes an avaricious old man who hoarded fortune all his life.)

  Translation: The novel describes a stingy old man who hoarded fortune all his life. (Uses 'скупой' in a literary narrative.)

Secondary Meaning: Overly eager or grasping in non-material contexts (e.g., knowledge or power).

Translation(s) & Context:

• жадный - In metaphorical uses, like intellectual greed.
• алчный - For power-hungry scenarios.

Usage Examples:

• Она была жадная к знаниям и читала книги круглые сутки. (She was avaricious for knowledge and read books around the clock.)

  Translation: She was greedy for knowledge and read books around the clock. (Metaphorical use of 'жадный'.)

• Алчный политик жаждал власти любой ценой. (The avaricious politician craved power at any cost.)

  Translation: The greedy politician craved power at any cost. (Shows 'алчный' in a power context.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

All key translations ('жадный', 'скупой', 'алчный') are adjectives, which inflect based on gender, number, and case in Russian. Russian adjectives follow standard patterns for agreement with nouns.

These adjectives follow regular adjectival inflections in Russian, with no irregularities. They must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they modify.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • жадный - скупой (similar but more about stinginess)
  • алчный - корыстный (emphasizes self-interest in material gain)
  • жадный - алчный (interchangeable in greed contexts, but алчный is more intense)
• Antonyms:
  • щедрый (generous)
  • бескорыстный (selfless)

Related Phrases:

• жадный до денег - (Avaricious for money; used to describe extreme financial greed.)
• скупой как Крез - (As miserly as Croesus; a idiomatic phrase comparing to the wealthy historical figure.)
• алчный взгляд - (Avaricious glance; refers to a greedy or covetous look.)

Usage Notes:

'Avaricious' directly corresponds to 'жадный' in informal settings, but 'скупой' or 'алчный' may be better for formal or nuanced contexts. In Russian, these words often carry negative connotations, so use them carefully in social situations. For example, choose 'жадный' for everyday greed and 'алчный' for ambitious scenarios. Grammatically, ensure adjectives agree with the noun in gender, number, and case to avoid errors.

• Context tip: In Russian literature, these words are common in character descriptions, unlike in English where 'avaricious' is more archaic.
• Selection guide: If the greed is material and intense, use 'алчный'; for hoarding behavior, 'скупой' fits best.

Common Errors:

English learners often confuse 'жадный' with 'скупой', using 'жадный' when 'скупой' is more appropriate for stinginess. For example:

• Incorrect: Он жадный с деньгами. (This implies general greed but might not convey miserliness.)
• Correct: Он скупой с деньгами. (This better matches 'avaricious' in the sense of being tight-fisted.)
• Explanation: The error stems from overlapping meanings; always consider the context—'жадный' for eager greed, 'скупой' for reluctance to spend.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'жадный' and 'алчный' often appear in folklore and literature (e.g., in stories by Pushkin) to critique social inequalities or moral failings. Greed is frequently portrayed as a vice leading to downfall, reflecting historical values from Orthodox Christianity that emphasize communal sharing over individual accumulation.

Related Concepts:

• жадность (greediness)
• корысть (self-interest)
• эгоизм (egoism)