Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'beaker'

English Word: beaker

Key Russian Translations:

• стакан [stɐˈkan] - [Informal, General Use]
• мензурка [mʲɪnˈzurkə] - [Formal, Scientific Context]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: A2 (Beginner-Intermediate for 'стакан'); B2 (Intermediate for 'мензурка')

Pronunciation (Russian):

стакан: [stɐˈkan]

Note on стакан: The stress is on the second syllable. The 'a' sounds are pronounced as a schwa in unstressed positions.

мензурка: [mʲɪnˈzurkə]

Note on мензурка: The stress is on the second syllable. The 'e' is palatalized due to the following 'н'.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. A container for drinking (general use)

Translation(s) & Context:

• стакан - Commonly used for a glass or cup in everyday situations, often for water, tea, or other beverages.

Usage Examples:

• Дай мне, пожалуйста, стакан воды.

  Please give me a glass of water.

• На столе стоит пустой стакан.

  There is an empty glass on the table.

• Я выпил целый стакан чая.

  I drank a whole glass of tea.

2. A laboratory container (scientific use)

Translation(s) & Context:

• мензурка - Used specifically in scientific or laboratory contexts to refer to a beaker for experiments.

Usage Examples:

• В мензурке смешали два раствора.

  Two solutions were mixed in the beaker.

• Мензурка на 500 мл стоит на полке.

  A 500 ml beaker is on the shelf.

• Осторожно, мензурка горячая!

  Be careful, the beaker is hot!

Russian Forms/Inflections:

стакан (Noun, Masculine, Animate):

мензурка (Noun, Feminine, Inanimate):

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for стакан:

• бокал (more formal, often for wine or special drinks)
• кружка (informal, often for mugs or larger cups)

Synonyms for мензурка:

• лабораторный стакан (more descriptive, used in lab contexts)

Antonyms: None directly applicable for either term.

Related Phrases:

• стакан воды - A glass of water (common everyday expression).
• налить в стакан - To pour into a glass (used for liquids).
• мензурка для опытов - A beaker for experiments (scientific context).

Usage Notes:

• The choice between 'стакан' and 'мензурка' depends heavily on context. Use 'стакан' for everyday drinking containers and 'мензурка' strictly for laboratory settings.
• 'стакан' is far more common in daily conversation, while 'мензурка' is a specialized term that might not be understood outside scientific discussions.
• Be mindful of the grammatical case when using these nouns, as Russian relies heavily on declensions to indicate meaning.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'мензурка' to refer to a drinking glass.
  Incorrect: Дай мне мензурку воды.
  Correct: Дай мне стакан воды.
  Explanation: 'Мензурка' is a lab term and sounds unnatural in casual contexts.
• Error: Incorrect case usage with 'стакан'.
  Incorrect: Я вижу стакан воды (should be genitive after 'нет').
  Correct: У меня нет стакана воды.
  Explanation: Pay attention to the genitive case after negations in Russian.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, 'стакан' often evokes images of traditional tea drinking, as tea is commonly served in glasses rather than mugs in many households. The term may also be associated with Soviet-era aesthetics, where simple glass 'стаканы' were ubiquitous.

Related Concepts:

• кружка (mug)
• бокал (goblet, wine glass)
• лабораторное оборудование (laboratory equipment)