Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Chastity'

English Word: Chastity

Key Russian Translations:

• Целомудрие [ˈt͡sɛləmʊˈdrʲijə] - [Formal, Literary]
• Невинность [nʲɪˈvʲinnəsʲtʲ] - [Neutral, Often refers to innocence or virginity]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate) for "Целомудрие"; B1 (Lower Intermediate) for "Невинность"

Pronunciation (Russian):

Целомудрие: [ˈt͡sɛləmʊˈdrʲijə]

Note on Целомудрие: Stress falls on the third syllable ("mu"). The "ц" sound is a unique Russian affricate, similar to "ts" in "cats."

Невинность: [nʲɪˈvʲinnəsʲtʲ]

Note on Невинность: Stress falls on the second syllable ("vin"). The soft "н" (palatalized) requires a slight "y" sound before the vowel.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Moral Purity or Abstinence from Sexual Conduct

Translation(s) & Context:

• Целомудрие - Used in formal, literary, or religious contexts to denote purity or moral restraint.

Usage Examples:

• Она всегда соблюдала целомудрие в своих мыслях и поступках.

  She always maintained chastity in her thoughts and actions.

• Целомудрие считается добродетелью в многих культурах.

  Chastity is considered a virtue in many cultures.

• Он поклялся хранить целомудрие до брака.

  He vowed to preserve chastity until marriage.

2. Innocence or Virginity

Translation(s) & Context:

• Невинность - Refers to physical virginity or a state of innocence, often used in neutral or emotional contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Её невинность была очевидна в каждом взгляде.

  Her innocence was evident in every glance.

• Он лишил её невинности, не понимая последствий.

  He took her virginity without understanding the consequences.

• Невинность ребёнка трогает сердце.

  A child’s innocence touches the heart.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Целомудрие (Noun, Neuter): Regular declension for neuter nouns ending in -ие.

Case	Singular
Nominative	Целомудрие
Genitive	Целомудрия
Dative	Целомудрию
Accusative	Целомудрие
Instrumental	Целомудрием
Prepositional	О Целомудрии

Невинность (Noun, Feminine): Regular declension for feminine nouns ending in -ость.

Case	Singular
Nominative	Невинность
Genitive	Невинности
Dative	Невинности
Accusative	Невинность
Instrumental	Невинностью
Prepositional	О Невинности

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for Целомудрие:

• Чистота
• Непорочность

Note: "Чистота" can also mean "cleanliness," while "Непорочность" is more tied to religious or moral purity.

Synonyms for Невинность:

• Безгрешность
• Наивность

Antonyms:

• Распутство
• Порочность

Related Phrases:

• Хранить целомудрие - To preserve chastity (often used in religious or moral contexts).
• Потерять невинность - To lose virginity (neutral or emotional tone).
• Невинность взгляда - Innocence of a glance (used metaphorically to describe purity or naivety).

Usage Notes:

• "Целомудрие" is more formal and often used in written or religious contexts. It emphasizes moral restraint rather than physical virginity.
• "Невинность" is more common in everyday speech and can refer to both physical virginity and a general state of innocence or naivety.
• Choose "Целомудрие" for discussions of virtue or morality, and "Невинность" when referring to virginity or childlike purity.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "Целомудрие" in casual conversation about virginity. Wrong: "Она потеряла целомудрие." Correct: "Она потеряла невинность." (Explanation: "Целомудрие" is not typically used for physical virginity in modern conversational Russian.)
• Error: Confusing "Невинность" with "Наивность" (naivety). While related, "Невинность" implies purity, whereas "Наивность" suggests gullibility.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, "Целомудрие" carries strong historical and religious connotations, often associated with Orthodox Christian values of moral purity. Discussions of "Невинность" (virginity) may still be considered sensitive in traditional or conservative settings.

Related Concepts:

• Честь (Honor)
• Добродетель (Virtue)
• Скромность (Modesty)