Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'dipper'

English Word: dipper

Key Russian Translations:

• ковш [kɐfʂ] - [Informal, General Use]
• черпак [tɕɪrˈpak] - [Formal, Often Used for Tools]
• Большой Медвед [bɐlʲˈʂoj mʲɪdˈvʲet] - [Specific, Refers to the Big Dipper Constellation]

Frequency: Medium (ковш and черпак are moderately common; Большой Медвед is specific to astronomy)

Difficulty: A2-B1 for ковш and черпак (Beginner-Intermediate); B2 for Большой Медвед (Intermediate due to specific context)

Pronunciation (Russian):

ковш: [kɐfʂ]

Note on ковш: The final sound [ʂ] is a retroflex fricative, similar to 'sh' but harder. Stress on the single syllable.

черпак: [tɕɪrˈpak]

Note on черпак: Stress on the second syllable. The initial [tɕ] is a soft 'ch' sound.

Большой Медвед: [bɐlʲˈʂoj mʲɪdˈvʲet]

Note on Большой Медвед: Stress on the second syllable of each word. Pay attention to soft consonants [lʲ] and [vʲ].

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. A utensil for scooping (e.g., ladle or scoop)

Translation(s) & Context:

• ковш - Commonly used for a ladle or bucket-like tool, often in everyday or rustic contexts.
• черпак - Refers to a scoop or ladle, often in more formal or technical descriptions.

Usage Examples:

• Я взял ковш, чтобы налить суп.

  I took a ladle to serve the soup.

• Этот черпак сделан из металла.

  This scoop is made of metal.

• Дай мне ковш, чтобы вычерпать воду.

  Give me a dipper to scoop out the water.

2. The Big Dipper (constellation)

Translation(s) & Context:

• Большой Медвед - Refers specifically to the Big Dipper constellation in astronomy or cultural contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Ночью на небе виден Большой Медвед.

  At night, the Big Dipper is visible in the sky.

• Большой Медвед помогает найти Полярную звезду.

  The Big Dipper helps to find the North Star.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

ковш (Masculine Noun): Follows the second declension pattern for masculine nouns ending in a consonant.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	ковш	ковши
Genitive	ковша	ковшей
Dative	ковшу	ковшам
Accusative	ковш	ковши
Instrumental	ковшом	ковшами
Prepositional	о ковше	о ковшах

черпак (Masculine Noun): Similar to ковш, follows the second declension pattern with regular endings.

Большой Медвед (Compound Phrase): Both words decline separately. "Большой" is an adjective agreeing with "Медвед" (masculine noun) in case, number, and gender.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for ковш/черпак (utensil meaning):

• ложка (spoon, less common for large scoops)
• половник (ladle, specifically for soup)

Note: половник is more specific to kitchen use, while ковш can refer to larger or industrial scoops.

Antonyms: None directly applicable for this term.

Synonyms for Большой Медвед (constellation):

• Большая Медведица (alternative, more formal name for Big Dipper)

Related Phrases:

• ковш воды - "a dipper of water" (common expression for scooping water).
• черпак супа - "a ladle of soup" (used in kitchen contexts).
• указатель Большого Медведа - "pointers of the Big Dipper" (refers to the stars pointing to the North Star).

Usage Notes:

• While both "ковш" and "черпак" can mean a scooping tool, "ковш" is more versatile and can refer to larger or symbolic objects (e.g., a bucket shape), whereas "черпак" often implies a smaller, handheld tool.
• For the constellation, always use "Большой Медвед" or "Большая Медведица" in formal or scientific contexts. The latter is more common in written language.
• Be mindful of context when translating "dipper" into Russian, as the meaning shifts drastically between a utensil and a constellation.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "ковш" to refer to the constellation. Incorrect: "ковш на небе" (a ladle in the sky). Correct: Use "Большой Медвед" for the Big Dipper.
• Error: Mispronouncing "черпак" with stress on the first syllable. Incorrect: [ˈtɕɪrpak]. Correct: [tɕɪrˈpak]. Stress is on the second syllable.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the Big Dipper (Большой Медвед or Большая Медведица) holds significant navigational and symbolic importance, often referenced in folklore and literature as a guide for travelers. Additionally, "ковш" can evoke imagery of traditional Russian households, where wooden ladles were common.

Related Concepts:

• Малый Медвед (Little Dipper)
• Полярная звезда (North Star)
• ведро (bucket, related to ковш in meaning)