Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Bureaucracy'

English Word: Bureaucracy

Key Russian Translations:

• Бюрократия [bʲʊrɐˈkratʲɪjə] - [Formal, General Use]
• Чиновничество [tɕɪˈnovnʲɪtɕɪstvə] - [Formal, Often Negative Connotation]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in discussions of government and administration)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate) for both translations due to contextual nuances

Pronunciation (Russian):

Бюрократия: [bʲʊrɐˈkratʲɪjə]

Note on Бюрократия: Stress falls on the third syllable. The "ю" sound is a distinct Russian vowel, pronounced like "yu."

Чиновничество: [tɕɪˈnovnʲɪtɕɪstvə]

Note on Чиновничество: Stress on the second syllable. The "ч" sound is like "ch" in "church," and the word has a complex cluster of consonants.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. System of Government or Administration

Translation(s) & Context:

• Бюрократия - Used to describe the administrative system or excessive red tape in government or organizations.

Usage Examples:

• Бюрократия в этой стране замедляет все процессы.

  Bureaucracy in this country slows down all processes.

• Из-за бюрократии я не смог вовремя получить документы.

  Due to bureaucracy, I couldn’t get the documents on time.

• Бюрократия часто становится препятствием для реформ.

  Bureaucracy often becomes an obstacle to reforms.

2. Body of Officials or Clerks (Often Negative)

Translation(s) & Context:

• Чиновничество - Refers to the group of bureaucrats or officials, often with a critical or derogatory tone.

Usage Examples:

• Чиновничество заботится только о своих интересах.

  The bureaucracy cares only about its own interests.

• Коррупция среди чиновничества разрушает доверие к власти.

  Corruption among the bureaucracy destroys trust in the government.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Бюрократия (Feminine Noun, 1st Declension):

Case	Singular
Nominative	Бюрократия
Genitive	Бюрократии
Dative	Бюрократии
Accusative	Бюрократию
Instrumental	Бюрократией
Prepositional	О Бюрократии

Note: This noun is typically used in the singular form as it refers to an abstract concept.

Чиновничество (Neuter Noun, 2nd Declension):

Case	Singular
Nominative	Чиновничество
Genitive	Чиновничества
Dative	Чиновничеству
Accusative	Чиновничество
Instrumental	Чиновничеством
Prepositional	О Чиновничестве

Note: Like "Бюрократия," this word is generally used in the singular to refer to a collective group or concept.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for Бюрократия:

• Администрация (Administration, more neutral)
• Канцелярщина (Red Tape, more colloquial and negative)

Synonyms for Чиновничество:

• Бюрократы (Bureaucrats, refers to the people)

Antonyms:

• Демократия (Democracy, as an opposing concept to rigid bureaucracy)

Related Phrases:

• Бюрократическая машина - "Bureaucratic machine," referring to the slow and inefficient system of bureaucracy.
• Бороться с бюрократией - "To fight against bureaucracy," a common expression for efforts to reduce red tape.
• Чиновничий произвол - "Arbitrariness of bureaucrats," used to criticize abuse of power by officials.

Usage Notes:

• Choosing Between Translations: Use "Бюрократия" when referring to the system or concept of bureaucracy in a neutral or critical sense. Use "Чиновничество" when focusing on the group of officials, often with a negative connotation.
• Register: Both terms are formal and commonly used in written or spoken discussions of politics, governance, or administration.
• Grammar: Both nouns are typically singular and abstract, so they rarely appear in plural forms.

Common Errors:

• Mixing Contexts: English speakers often misuse "Чиновничество" to mean the system itself. Incorrect: "Чиновничество замедляет процесс" (should be "Бюрократия замедляет процесс").
• Pronunciation: Misplacing stress in "Бюрократия" (correct stress is on "кра") can lead to misunderstandings.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, bureaucracy ("Бюрократия") and bureaucrats ("Чиновничество") often carry a negative connotation due to historical experiences with inefficient Soviet administrative systems and widespread corruption. Discussions of bureaucracy may evoke frustration or criticism among native speakers.

Related Concepts:

• Коррупция (Corruption)
• Государство (State/Government)
• Администрация (Administration)