Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'canny'

English Word: canny

Key Russian Translations:

• хитрый [ˈxitrɨj] - [Informal, Often with a negative connotation]
• умный [ˈumnɨj] - [Neutral, General use]
• сообразительный [səbrɐˈzʲitʲɪlʲnɨj] - [Positive, Emphasizes quick thinking]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "хитрый" and "умный"; B2 (Upper-Intermediate) for "сообразительный"

Pronunciation (Russian):

хитрый: [ˈxitrɨj]

Note on хитрый: The stress falls on the first syllable. The "х" sound is a voiceless fricative, similar to the Scottish "loch".

умный: [ˈumnɨj]

Note on умный: The stress is on the first syllable. The final "й" is a soft consonant, blending into the preceding vowel.

сообразительный: [səbrɐˈzʲitʲɪlʲnɨj]

Note on сообразительный: Stress falls on the third syllable. Pay attention to the soft consonants "зʲ" and "тʲ".

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Shrewd or Clever (in a practical sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• хитрый - Often used when implying cunning or slyness, sometimes with a negative tone.
• сообразительный - Highlights quick thinking and resourcefulness, usually positive.

Usage Examples:

• Он очень хитрый, всегда находит способ избежать работы.

  He is very canny, always finding a way to avoid work.

• Она сообразительная, сразу поняла, как решить задачу.

  She is canny, immediately figuring out how to solve the problem.

• Хитрый продавец обманул покупателя.

  The canny salesman tricked the buyer.

2. Intelligent or Wise (in a general sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• умный - General term for intelligence, applicable in various contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Он умный человек, всегда принимает правильные решения.

  He is a canny person, always making the right decisions.

• Умная женщина знает, когда лучше промолчать.

  A canny woman knows when it’s better to stay silent.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

хитрый (Adjective): Declines according to gender, number, and case. Below is the basic declension for singular forms:

Case	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	хитрый	хитая	хитрое
Genitive	хитрого	хитрой	хитрого
Dative	хитрому	хитрой	хитрому

умный (Adjective): Follows similar declension patterns as "хитрый".

сообразительный (Adjective): Also declines like other adjectives, with longer forms due to its length.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for хитрый (cunning sense):

• лукавый
• коварный

Note: "лукавый" often implies playful slyness, while "коварный" is more malicious.

Synonyms for умный (intelligent sense):

• разумный
• мудрый

Antonyms:

• глупый (stupid)
• наивный (naive)

Related Phrases:

• хитрый как лиса - "canny as a fox" (very cunning or sly)
• умный не по годам - "canny beyond one’s years" (unusually wise for one’s age)
• сообразить на троих - "to figure out together" (informal, often used in the context of sharing something)

Usage Notes:

• "хитрый" often carries a negative connotation of deceit or slyness, unlike "canny" which can be neutral or positive in English. Use it carefully in context.
• "умный" is the safest general translation for intelligence or wisdom, suitable for most neutral or positive contexts.
• "сообразительный" emphasizes quick wit or resourcefulness and is best used when "canny" refers to practical cleverness.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "хитрый" in a positive context. Incorrect: Он хитрый учитель (implying deceit). Correct: Он умный учитель (He is a wise teacher).
• Error: Mispronouncing "сообразительный" by stressing the wrong syllable. Stress should be on "зи" [zʲi], not the first syllable.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, being "хитрый" (cunning) can sometimes be admired as a survival skill, especially in historical contexts of hardship, but it is often frowned upon in personal relationships as it implies dishonesty.

Related Concepts:

• мудрость (wisdom)
• хитрость (cunningness)
• сообразительность (resourcefulness)