Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'benign'

English Word: benign

Key Russian Translations:

• доброкачественный [dəbrəkɐˈt͡ɕestvʲɪnːɨj] - [Formal, Medical Context]
• добрый [ˈdobrɨj] - [Informal, Figurative for Kind or Gentle]
• безвредный [bʲɪzˈvrʲednɨj] - [Neutral, General Use for Harmless]

Frequency: Medium (varies by context; "доброкачественный" is common in medical contexts, while "добрый" is frequent in everyday speech)

Difficulty: A2-B1 for "добрый" and "безвредный" (Beginner-Intermediate); B2 for "доброкачественный" (Intermediate due to specialized usage)

Pronunciation (Russian):

доброкачественный: [dəbrəkɐˈt͡ɕestvʲɪnːɨj]

Note on доброкачественный: Stress falls on the fourth syllable; the "ч" is pronounced as a soft "ch" sound, which may be challenging for non-native speakers.

добрый: [ˈdobrɨj]

Note on добрый: Stress on the first syllable; simple and common pronunciation.

безвредный: [bʲɪzˈvrʲednɨj]

Note on безвредный: Stress on the second syllable; note the soft "б" sound due to palatalization.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Harmless or Non-Malignant (Medical or Technical Context)

Translation(s) & Context:

• доброкачественный - Used primarily in medical contexts to describe non-cancerous tumors or conditions.
• безвредный - Used in general contexts to describe something harmless or non-threatening.

Usage Examples:

• Опухоль оказалась доброкачественной, и пациент вздохнул с облегчением.

  The tumor turned out to be benign, and the patient sighed with relief.

• Этот химикат безвредный для окружающей среды.

  This chemical is benign to the environment.

• Врач сказал, что это доброкачественное образование, не требующее операции.

  The doctor said it is a benign growth that does not require surgery.

2. Kind or Gentle (Figurative Context)

Translation(s) & Context:

• добрый - Used to describe a person or action as kind, gentle, or well-meaning.

Usage Examples:

• Его добрый взгляд успокоил меня.

  His benign gaze calmed me down.

• Она дала мне добрый совет, который очень помог.

  She gave me benign advice that helped a lot.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

доброкачественный (Adjective): Declines according to standard Russian adjective rules based on gender, number, and case.

Case	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Plural
Nominative	доброкачественный	доброкачественная	доброкачественное	доброкачественные
Genitive	доброкачественного	доброкачественной	доброкачественного	доброкачественных

добрый (Adjective): Follows similar adjective declension patterns as above.

безвредный (Adjective): Declines similarly to other adjectives; no irregular forms.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for доброкачественный (Medical Context):

• неопасный
• безобидный

Note: "неопасный" is less common in medical contexts but can be used for "not dangerous."

Synonyms for добрый (Kind Context):

• ласковый
• милый

Antonyms for доброкачественный (Medical Context):

• злокачественный

Antonyms for добрый (Kind Context):

• злой

Related Phrases:

• доброкачественная опухоль - Benign tumor (medical term for a non-cancerous growth).
• доброе сердце - Benign heart (used to describe a kind-hearted person).
• безвредное вещество - Benign substance (something harmless or non-toxic).

Usage Notes:

• "доброкачественный" is strictly used in formal or medical contexts and should not be confused with "добрый," which has a more emotional or personal connotation.
• "безвредный" is the most neutral term for "harmless" and can be applied to objects, substances, or situations, unlike "добрый," which usually describes people or their actions.
• Be mindful of adjective agreement in Russian; the ending changes based on the noun it modifies (gender, number, case).

Common Errors:

Error 1: Using "добрый" in a medical context instead of "доброкачественный."

Incorrect: Опухоль добрая. (The tumor is kind.)

Correct: Опухоль доброкачественная. (The tumor is benign.)

Explanation: "добрый" implies kindness or gentleness and is inappropriate for medical descriptions.

Error 2: Incorrect adjective agreement.

Incorrect: Безвредный еда. (Harmless food, wrong gender agreement.)

Correct: Безвредная еда. (Harmless food, feminine form matches "еда.")

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the word "добрый" often carries a warm, positive connotation beyond just "benign." It is frequently used in greetings like "Добрый день" (Good day) or "Доброе утро" (Good morning), reflecting a cultural emphasis on kindness and friendliness in communication.

Related Concepts:

• здоровье (health)
• лечение (treatment)
• доброта (kindness)