Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'buffalo'

English Word: buffalo

Key Russian Translations:

• буйвол [ˈbujvəl] - [Formal, Singular]
• бизон [bʲɪˈzon] - [Formal, Singular, Often used for American buffalo/bison]

Frequency: Low (These terms are not commonly used in everyday conversation)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate - Requires understanding of specific contexts)

Pronunciation (Russian):

буйвол: [ˈbujvəl]

Note on буйвол: Stress falls on the first syllable. The 'у' sounds like 'oo' in 'food'.

бизон: [bʲɪˈzon]

Note on бизон: Stress falls on the second syllable. The 'и' is pronounced like 'i' in 'bit' with palatalization of the preceding consonant.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Buffalo as a large bovine animal (e.g., water buffalo)

Translation(s) & Context:

• буйвол - Used to refer to water buffalo or similar species, often in agricultural or zoological contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Буйволы используются для работы в полях в некоторых странах Азии.

  Buffaloes are used for fieldwork in some Asian countries.

• Этот буйвол выглядит очень сильным.

  This buffalo looks very strong.

• Фермер купил двух буйволов для своей фермы.

  The farmer bought two buffaloes for his farm.

2. Buffalo as bison (e.g., American buffalo)

Translation(s) & Context:

• бизон - Refers specifically to the American bison or similar species, often in historical or wildlife contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Бизоны когда-то бродили по равнинам Северной Америки.

  Bisons once roamed the plains of North America.

• Мы видели стадо бизонов в национальном парке.

  We saw a herd of bison in the national park.

• Охота на бизонов была важной частью культуры коренных народов.

  Hunting bison was an important part of indigenous cultures.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

буйвол (Masculine Noun):

бизон (Masculine Noun):

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for буйвол:

• нет (No direct synonyms in common usage)

Synonyms for бизон:

• нет (No direct synonyms in common usage)

Antonyms: None applicable for either term as they are specific animal names.

Related Phrases:

• стадо буйволов - "Herd of buffaloes" (Common phrase referring to a group of water buffaloes)
• охота на бизонов - "Bison hunting" (Historical context, often related to North American history)

Usage Notes:

• The term буйвол generally refers to water buffalo or similar species, often associated with Asia or Africa, and is used in agricultural or zoological discussions.
• The term бизон is specifically used for the American bison or European bison and is more common in discussions of wildlife or history.
• Choosing between these terms depends on the specific type of buffalo being referred to. English speakers often use "buffalo" for both, but in Russian, precision is important.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using буйвол to refer to American bison. Incorrect: "На равнинах Америки живут буйволы." Correct: "На равнинах Америки живут бизоны."
• Explanation: This error stems from the broad use of "buffalo" in English. In Russian, бизон is the correct term for bison, while буйвол refers to water buffalo.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, neither буйвол nor бизон carries significant cultural symbolism as they are not native to Russia. However, бизон may evoke associations with North American indigenous cultures or historical narratives due to popularized media about the American West.

Related Concepts:

• корова (cow)
• бык (bull)
• зубр (European bison, closely related to бизон)