Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Champion'

English Word: Champion

Key Russian Translations:

• чемпион [tʃɪmˈpʲiən] - [Formal, Informal, Singular]
• чемпионка [tʃɪmˈpʲiənkə] - [Formal, Informal, Singular, Feminine]
• чемпионы [tʃɪmˈpʲiənɨ] - [Plural]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: A2 (Beginner-Intermediate for all translations)

Pronunciation (Russian):

чемпион: [tʃɪmˈpʲiən]

Note on чемпион: Stress falls on the second syllable. The 'ч' sound is similar to 'ch' in 'church,' and 'и' is pronounced like 'ee' in 'see.'

чемпионка: [tʃɪmˈpʲiənkə]

Note on чемпионка: Similar to 'чемпион' but with a feminine ending '-ка.'

чемпионы: [tʃɪmˈpʲiənɨ]

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. A winner of a competition or sport

Translation(s) & Context:

• чемпион - Used for a male champion in sports or competitions.
• чемпионка - Used for a female champion in similar contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Он стал чемпионом мира по шахматам.

  He became the world chess champion.

• Она чемпионка по фигурному катанию.

  She is a figure skating champion.

• Наши чемпионы выиграли золото на Олимпиаде.

  Our champions won gold at the Olympics.

2. A defender or advocate of a cause

Translation(s) & Context:

• защитник - Used metaphorically for someone defending a cause or idea (less common for 'champion' in this sense).

Usage Examples:

• Он защитник прав животных.

  He is a champion of animal rights.

• Она стала защитником окружающей среды.

  She became a champion for the environment.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

чемпион (Masculine Noun): Follows the second declension pattern in Russian. Below is the declension table for singular and plural forms.

чемпионка (Feminine Noun): Follows the first declension pattern for feminine nouns ending in '-а.'

Note: 'защитник' follows a similar masculine noun declension pattern as 'чемпион.'

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for чемпион (in the context of sports):

• победитель (winner)
• лидер (leader, in some contexts)

Note: 'победитель' is broader and can apply to any winner, while 'чемпион' often implies a title or recurring success.

Antonyms for чемпион:

• проигравший (loser)

Related Phrases:

• чемпион мира - World champion
• чемпион по боксу - Boxing champion
• защитник прав - Champion of rights (defender of rights)

Usage Notes:

• The word 'чемпион' is a direct borrowing from English and is widely used in Russian for sports or competition winners. Use 'чемпионка' when referring to a female champion.
• For metaphorical uses (e.g., championing a cause), 'защитник' or other terms may be more appropriate, though 'чемпион' can sometimes be used colloquially in this sense.
• Be mindful of grammatical gender and number when using these nouns in sentences, as they must agree with other sentence elements.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'чемпион' for a female champion.
  Incorrect: Она чемпион.
  Correct: Она чемпионка.
  Explanation: Russian nouns have grammatical gender, and 'чемпионка' must be used for female subjects.
• Error: Incorrect case usage in sentences.
  Incorrect: Я поздравил чемпион.
  Correct: Я поздравил чемпиона.
  Explanation: After verbs like 'поздравить' (to congratulate), the accusative case is required.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the term 'чемпион' is strongly associated with sports achievements, especially in contexts like the Olympics or world championships, reflecting the country's historical emphasis on athletic success during the Soviet era and beyond.

Related Concepts:

• спорт (sport)
• соревнование (competition)
• победа (victory)