Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Blacken'

English Word: blacken

Key Russian Translations:

• почернить [pɐˈt͡ɕernʲɪtʲ] - [Formal, Often Figurative]
• зачернить [zɐˈt͡ɕernʲɪtʲ] - [Neutral, Often Literal]
• очернить [ɐˈt͡ɕernʲɪtʲ] - [Formal, Figurative, Negative Connotation]

Frequency: Medium (used in specific contexts, less common in everyday speech)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate) for "почернить" and "зачернить"; C1 (Advanced) for "очернить" due to nuanced usage

Pronunciation (Russian):

почернить: [pɐˈt͡ɕernʲɪtʲ]

Note on почернить: Stress falls on the second syllable. The "ч" is a soft sound, similar to 'ch' in "church".

зачернить: [zɐˈt͡ɕernʲɪtʲ]

Note on зачернить: Similar to "почернить" in pronunciation, but begins with a voiced "з".

очернить: [ɐˈt͡ɕernʲɪtʲ]

Note on очернить: Stress on the second syllable; often used in formal or literary contexts.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To make something black (literal)

Translation(s) & Context:

• зачернить - Used for physically making something black, such as painting or staining.

Usage Examples:

• Он зачернил старую раму, чтобы она выглядела новой.

  He blackened the old frame to make it look new.

• Она зачернила рисунок углём.

  She blackened the drawing with charcoal.

• Мастер зачернил металл для защиты от коррозии.

  The craftsman blackened the metal to protect it from corrosion.

2. To tarnish or defame (figurative)

Translation(s) & Context:

• почернить - Often used in a figurative sense to mean tarnishing someone's reputation.
• очернить - Stronger negative connotation, often implying slander or defamation.

Usage Examples:

• Его слова почернили репутацию честного человека.

  His words blackened the reputation of an honest man.

• Они пытались очернить его имя в прессе.

  They tried to blacken his name in the press.

• Очернить кого-то без доказательств — это подло.

  To blacken someone’s name without evidence is despicable.

• Слухи почернили её образ в глазах общества.

  Rumors blackened her image in the eyes of society.

• Он не хотел очернить память о своём друге.

  He didn’t want to blacken the memory of his friend.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

почернить (perfective verb, transitive):

Person	Singular	Plural
1st	почерню [pɐˈt͡ɕernʲʊ]	почерним [pɐˈt͡ɕernʲɪm]
2nd	почернишь [pɐˈt͡ɕernʲɪʂ]	почерните [pɐˈt͡ɕernʲɪtʲɪ]
3rd	почернит [pɐˈt͡ɕernʲɪt]	почернят [pɐˈt͡ɕernʲat]

Note: As a perfective verb, "почернить" indicates a completed action. Its imperfective counterpart is "чернить".

зачернить and очернить follow similar conjugation patterns as perfective verbs. Refer to standard Russian verb conjugation resources for full forms.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for почернить/очернить (figurative sense):

• опорочить
• оклеветать
• запятнать

Note: "оклеветать" is stronger and implies slander, while "запятнать" is more about staining honor or reputation.

Antonyms for почернить/очернить (figurative sense):

• возвысить
• прославить

Related Phrases:

• почернить репутацию - To blacken someone’s reputation.
• очернить имя - To blacken someone’s name (strong negative connotation).
• зачернить поверхность - To blacken a surface (literal, often technical).

Usage Notes:

• "зачернить" is primarily used in literal contexts, such as making something black with paint or dye.
• "почернить" can be both literal and figurative, though it’s more common in figurative contexts like tarnishing a reputation.
• "очернить" is almost exclusively figurative and carries a stronger negative tone, often implying intentional defamation or slander. It is more formal and literary.
• Be mindful of the perfective nature of these verbs; they imply a completed action. For ongoing actions, use their imperfective forms like "чернить".

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "очернить" in a literal sense.
  Incorrect: Он очернил стену краской. (He blackened the wall with paint.)
  Correct: Он зачернил стену краской.
  Explanation: "очернить" is reserved for figurative defamation, not physical blackening.
• Error: Confusing "почернить" and "очернить" in tone.
  Incorrect: Она почернила его в глазах друзей (too mild for strong slander).
  Correct: Она очернила его в глазах друзей.
  Explanation: Use "очернить" for stronger, intentional defamation.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, reputation and honor are highly valued, so terms like "очернить" (to blacken someone’s name) carry significant emotional and social weight. Using such terms lightly can be seen as disrespectful or inflammatory, especially in formal or public contexts.

Related Concepts:

• клевета (slander)
• репутация (reputation)
• позор (shame)