Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'crimp'

English Word: crimp

Key Russian Translations:

• завивать [zɐˈvʲivətʲ] - [Informal, Verb, Used in everyday contexts like hairstyling]
• сжимать [sʐʲɪˈmaʨ] - [Formal, Verb, Used in technical or mechanical descriptions]

Frequency: Medium (Common in specific contexts like fashion and engineering, but not everyday conversation)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and contextual usage; for 'завивать', it's B1; for 'сжимать', it's B2 due to more formal applications)

Pronunciation (Russian):

завивать: [zɐˈvʲivətʲ]

Note on завивать: The stress falls on the second syllable; be careful with the palatalized 'в' sound, which can be tricky for English speakers. Variations in informal speech may soften the ending.

сжимать: [sʐʲɪˈmaʨ]

Note on сжимать: Pronounce the 'ж' as a soft, fricative sound; in rapid speech, it might blend with surrounding consonants.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To press or pinch into small regular folds or ridges (e.g., in hairstyling or fabric)

Translation(s) & Context:

• завивать - Used in informal, everyday contexts like describing hair styling or curling materials.
• сжимать - Applied in more formal or technical settings, such as engineering or precise mechanical actions.

Usage Examples:

• Она завивает волосы утюжком каждое утро. (Ona zavivaet volosy utyuzhkom kazhdoe utro.)

  She crimps her hair with a straightener every morning. (This example shows the verb in a daily routine, present tense.)

• Механик сжимает металл для создания нужной формы. (Mekhanik szhimaet metall dlya sozdaniya nuzhnoi formy.)

  The mechanic crimps the metal to create the desired shape. (Illustrates technical usage in imperative or descriptive contexts.)

• В салоне красоты они завивают локоны клиентам. (V salone krasoty oni zavivayut lokony klientam.)

  In the beauty salon, they crimp curls for clients. (Demonstrates plural object and service industry context.)

• Инженер сжимает проволоку, чтобы усилить соединение. (Inzhener szhimaet provoloku, chtoby usilit' soyedineniye.)

  The engineer crimps the wire to strengthen the connection. (Shows application in professional, goal-oriented scenarios.)

• Дети завивают бумагу для поделок. (Deti zavivayut bumagu dlya podelok.)

  The children crimp paper for crafts. (Highlights informal, playful usage with imperfective aspect.)

Meaning 2: To hinder or restrict (less common, metaphorical sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• сжимать - Used metaphorically in formal writing or discussions about limitations.

Usage Examples:

• Экономический кризис сжимает возможности бизнеса. (Ekonomicheskiy krizis szhimaet vozmozhnosti biznesa.)

  The economic crisis crimps business opportunities. (This example uses the verb in a figurative, abstract context.)

• Закон сжимает свободу выражения. (Zakon szhimaet svobodu vyrazheniya.)

  The law crimps freedom of expression. (Illustrates usage in legal or societal discussions.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both primary translations are verbs, which in Russian undergo conjugation based on tense, aspect, person, and number. 'Завивать' is an imperfective verb, while 'сжимать' can be both imperfective and perfective in derived forms.

Note: These verbs do not have irregular inflections but follow standard patterns for first-conjugation verbs in Russian.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • Кудрявить (kudryavit') - Similar to завивать, but specifically for curling hair; often used interchangeably in casual speech.
  • Сдавливать (sdavlivat') - A synonym for сжимать, implying more pressure; preferred in medical contexts.
• Antonyms:
  • Разжимать (razzhimat') - Directly opposite to сжимать, meaning to release or unclench.
  • Разглаживать (razglazhivat') - Opposite to завивать, meaning to straighten or smooth out.

Related Phrases:

• Завивать локоны (Zavivat' lokony) - To crimp curls; a common phrase in beauty and fashion contexts, referring to styling hair.
• Сжимать кулак (Szhimat' kulak) - To clench a fist; used metaphorically for determination or anger in everyday expressions.
• Завивать металл (Zavivat' metall) - To crimp metal; a technical phrase in manufacturing or engineering.

Usage Notes:

'Crimp' in English often relates to physical manipulation, which aligns closely with 'завивать' for aesthetic purposes and 'сжимать' for functional ones. Choose 'завивать' for informal, creative contexts like hair or crafts, but opt for 'сжимать' in formal or technical scenarios. Be mindful of aspect in Russian: use imperfective for ongoing actions (e.g., завивать for repeated crimping) and perfective derivatives for completed ones. English learners should note that Russian verbs require agreement with subject in person and number, which can affect sentence structure.

• In spoken Russian, 'завивать' might be softened in casual conversation, while 'сжимать' retains a more rigid form in writing.
• Avoid direct word-for-word translation; context dictates the best fit.

Common Errors:

English learners often confuse the aspect of verbs like 'сжимать', using it interchangeably with its perfective counterpart 'сжать' without considering ongoing vs. completed actions. For example:

• Error: *Я сжимать волосы. (Incorrect: This mixes infinitive with subject.)
• Correct: Я завиваю волосы. (Proper conjugation in present tense.)
• Explanation: Russian requires full verb conjugation; always match tense and person to avoid this mistake.
• Error: *Сжимать локоны для машины. (Might imply the wrong context.)
• Correct: Завивать локоны для машины. (Use 'завивать' for hair-related crimping to match the English nuance.)
• Explanation: Misapplying synonyms can lead to confusion; select based on specific meaning.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, 'завивать' is often associated with beauty standards and traditional hairstyling, as seen in folk tales or modern media, where crimped hair symbolizes youth or festivity. 'Сжимать' in metaphorical use might evoke themes of endurance, as in Soviet-era literature discussing economic hardships, reflecting historical resilience.

Related Concepts:

• Кудри (Kudri) - Curls
• Сдавливание (Sdavlivaniye) - Compression
• Формование (Formovaniye) - Shaping