Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Crafty'

English Word: Crafty

Key Russian Translations:

• хитрый [ˈxʲitrɨj] - [Informal, Common]
• лукавый [lʊˈkavɨj] - [Formal, Slightly Literary]
• изобретательный [ɪzɐbrʲɪˈtʲatʲɪlʲnɨj] - [Neutral, Often Positive]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "хитрый"; B2 (Upper-Intermediate) for "лукавый" and "изобретательный"

Pronunciation (Russian):

хитрый: [ˈxʲitrɨj]

Note on хитрый: Stress falls on the first syllable. The "х" sound is a voiceless velar fricative, unique to Russian.

лукавый: [lʊˈkavɨj]

Note on лукавый: Stress on the second syllable. Often used with a subtle negative connotation.

изобретательный: [ɪzɐbrʲɪˈtʲatʲɪlʲnɨj]

Note on изобретательный: Stress on the fourth syllable. A longer word, requiring attention to soft consonants.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Sly or Cunning (Negative Connotation)

Translation(s) & Context:

• хитрый - Often used to describe someone sneaky or deceptive in an informal context.
• лукавый - Used in more formal or literary contexts to imply deceit or slyness, sometimes with a moral undertone.

Usage Examples:

• Он такой хитрый, всегда находит способ избежать работы.

  He is so crafty, always finding a way to avoid work.

• Её лукавый взгляд выдавал её истинные намерения.

  Her crafty look betrayed her true intentions.

• Хитрый лис обманул всех в деревне.

  The crafty fox deceived everyone in the village.

2. Clever or Resourceful (Positive or Neutral Connotation)

Translation(s) & Context:

• изобретательный - Refers to someone who is clever, inventive, or resourceful, often in a positive sense.

Usage Examples:

• Он очень изобретательный, всегда придумывает новые идеи.

  He is very crafty, always coming up with new ideas.

• Её изобретательный подход к решению проблем впечатляет.

  Her crafty approach to problem-solving is impressive.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

хитрый (Adjective): Declines according to Russian adjective rules for gender, number, and case.

Case	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Plural
Nominative	хитрый	хитая	хитрое	хитрые
Genitive	хитрого	хитрой	хитрого	хитрых

Note: Similar declension patterns apply to "лукавый" and "изобретательный."

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for хитрый (Sly/Cunning):

• коварный
• плутовской

Note: "коварный" often implies a more malicious intent than "хитрый."

Synonyms for изобретательный (Clever/Resourceful):

• находчивый
• креативный

Antonyms:

• наивный (for хитрый/лукавый)
• банальный (for изобретательный)

Related Phrases:

• хитрый как лис - "Crafty as a fox," a common idiom for slyness.
• лукавый взгляд - "A crafty look," often implying hidden intentions.
• изобретательный ум - "A crafty mind," referring to creativity or resourcefulness.

Usage Notes:

• "хитрый" is the most common translation for "crafty" in everyday speech and often carries a negative connotation of deceit or trickery.
• "лукавый" is more formal and can sometimes be used in religious or literary contexts (e.g., referring to the devil as "лукавый").
• "изобретательный" is the go-to word when "crafty" is meant in a positive sense, such as being inventive or resourceful.
• Be mindful of the context when choosing between these translations, as they are not interchangeable.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "хитрый" in a positive context. Incorrect: "Он хитрый инженер" (implying deceit). Correct: "Он изобретательный инженер" (implying creativity).
• Error: Mispronouncing "хитрый" by stressing the second syllable. Stress is always on the first syllable: [ˈxʲitrɨj].

Cultural Notes:

In Russian folklore, the fox ("лиса") is often portrayed as a хитрый (crafty) character, embodying slyness and trickery. This cultural association makes "хитрый" a loaded term in certain contexts, often implying cunning with a negative undertone.

Related Concepts:

• хитрость (cunning, slyness)
• изобретательность (inventiveness)
• коварство (treachery)