Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Brick'

English Word: Brick

Key Russian Translations:

• кирпич [kʲɪrˈpʲitɕ] - [Formal/Informal, Singular]
• кирпичи [kʲɪrˈpʲitɕɪ] - [Plural]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in construction contexts)

Difficulty: A2 (Beginner-Intermediate for both translations)

Pronunciation (Russian):

кирпич: [kʲɪrˈpʲitɕ]

Note on кирпич: The stress is on the second syllable. The 'ч' sound is a soft affricate, similar to 'ch' in "church."

кирпичи: [kʲɪrˈpʲitɕɪ]

Note on кирпичи: The plural form retains the stress on the second syllable with a slight vowel shift at the end.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. A rectangular block used in construction

Translation(s) & Context:

• кирпич - Used to refer to a single brick in building or construction contexts.
• кирпичи - Refers to multiple bricks, often in bulk or stacks.

Usage Examples:

• Этот дом построен из красного кирпича.

  This house is built of red brick.

• Мы купили тысячу кирпичей для строительства стены.

  We bought a thousand bricks to build the wall.

• Кирпич упал с крыши и разбился.

  A brick fell from the roof and broke.

• Эти кирпичи слишком тяжелые, чтобы нести их одному.

  These bricks are too heavy to carry alone.

• Кирпич используется как основной материал в старых зданиях.

  Brick is used as the main material in old buildings.

2. Slang: A clumsy or unresponsive person (rare in Russian)

Translation(s) & Context:

• кирпич - Rarely used metaphorically to describe someone as "dense" or "unresponsive," though less common than in English.

Usage Examples:

• Он как кирпич, ничего не понимает.

  He’s like a brick, doesn’t understand anything.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

кирпич (singular, masculine noun) follows the standard declension pattern for inanimate masculine nouns ending in a consonant. Below is the declension table:

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms:

• блок (block, often used for larger construction units)

Note: "блок" may refer to larger or different types of building materials, not always identical to "кирпич."

Antonyms:

• No direct antonym exists for "brick" in Russian.

Related Phrases:

• красный кирпич - Red brick, often used for traditional buildings.
• кирпичная стена - Brick wall, a common construction term.
• кирпичный завод - Brick factory, referring to a place where bricks are manufactured.

Usage Notes:

• The word "кирпич" is the standard term for "brick" in Russian and is used in both formal and informal contexts related to construction.
• Unlike in English, the metaphorical use of "brick" to describe a person as clumsy or dense is rare and may not be immediately understood by all Russian speakers.
• Pay attention to the grammatical case when using "кирпич" in sentences, as Russian nouns decline based on their role in the sentence (see the declension table above).

Common Errors:

• Incorrect Case Usage: English speakers often forget to decline "кирпич" based on its grammatical role. For example, saying "Я вижу кирпич" (correct, accusative) vs. *"Я вижу кирпича" (incorrect, genitive).
• Plural Confusion: Mixing up singular and plural forms, e.g., using "кирпич" when referring to multiple bricks. Correct: "кирпичи."

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, bricks are often associated with traditional architecture, especially in rural areas or historical buildings made of red brick. The term "кирпич" may evoke imagery of sturdy, old-fashioned construction, as opposed to modern materials like concrete.

Related Concepts:

• стена (wall)
• строительство (construction)
• цемент (cement)