Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'beak'

English Word: beak

Key Russian Translations:

• клюв [klʲuf] - [Neutral, Commonly Used for Birds]
• нос [nos] - [Informal, Figurative for Human Nose or Ship Prow]

Frequency: Medium (клюв is commonly used in contexts related to birds; нос is frequent in figurative speech)

Difficulty: A2 (Beginner-Intermediate for клюв); B1 (Intermediate for нос in figurative use)

Pronunciation (Russian):

клюв: [klʲuf]

Note on клюв: The palatalized 'l' sound (лʲ) may be challenging for non-native speakers. Ensure the tongue touches the palate lightly.

нос: [nos]

Note on нос: Straightforward pronunciation, but stress is always on the first syllable.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Literal Meaning (Bird's Beak)

Translation(s) & Context:

• клюв - Used specifically for the beak of a bird or similar animal.

Usage Examples:

• У орла очень острый клюв.

  The eagle has a very sharp beak.

• Птица чистит свой клюв о ветку.

  The bird is cleaning its beak on a branch.

• Клюв попугая может быть опасным.

  A parrot's beak can be dangerous.

2. Figurative Meaning (Human Nose or Ship Prow)

Translation(s) & Context:

• нос - Used colloquially to refer to a person's nose (often humorously) or the prow of a ship.

Usage Examples:

• У него такой длинный нос, прямо как клюв!

  He has such a long nose, just like a beak!

• Нос корабля разрезал волны.

  The beak (prow) of the ship cut through the waves.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

клюв (Noun, Masculine, Inanimate):

нос (Noun, Masculine, Inanimate):

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for клюв:

• клювик (diminutive, affectionate form)

Note: клювик is less common and often used in a tender or playful context.

Synonyms for нос (figurative):

• шнобель (slang, humorous for nose)

Antonyms: None directly applicable for either term in this context.

Related Phrases:

• острый клюв - "sharp beak" (used literally for birds or metaphorically for sharpness)
• нос крючком - "hooked nose/beak" (often describing a person’s nose shape)
• держать нос по ветру - "keep one’s nose to the wind" (idiom meaning to stay alert or adaptable)

Usage Notes:

• While "клюв" is the direct and most accurate translation for "beak" when referring to birds, it is not used for human features unless in a highly metaphorical sense.
• "нос" should be used carefully as it primarily means "nose" in Russian; its use as "beak" is limited to informal or figurative contexts, such as describing a ship’s prow or humorously referring to a person’s nose.
• Choosing between "клюв" and "нос" depends on the subject: use "клюв" for animals (especially birds), and "нос" for metaphorical or human-related contexts.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "нос" to describe a bird’s beak. Incorrect: У вороны длинный нос. Correct: У вороны длинный клюв. Explanation: "нос" is inappropriate for birds; it refers to a nose or prow, not a beak in the literal sense.
• Error: Mispronouncing "клюв" by not palatalizing the 'l' sound. Explanation: Ensure the 'л' is soft (лʲ), as a hard 'л' changes the word’s sound significantly.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian folklore and literature, birds’ beaks (клюв) often symbolize strength or danger, as seen in descriptions of eagles or crows. Additionally, referring to someone’s nose as a "клюв" in jest can be perceived as humorous but potentially offensive, so it should be used cautiously in social contexts.

Related Concepts:

• перья (feathers)
• крылья (wings)
• клювик (diminutive form of beak)