Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'distend'

English Word: distend

Key Russian Translations:

• Расширять [rɐˈʂɨrʲɪtʲ] - [Formal, General contexts]
• Вздуваться [vzydʊˈvatsə] - [Informal, Medical or physical contexts]

Frequency: Low (Primarily used in technical, medical, or scientific discussions; not common in everyday conversation)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and contextual usage, with 'Расширять' being slightly easier than 'Вздуваться' for beginners)

Pronunciation (Russian):

Расширять: [rɐˈʂɨrʲɪtʲ]

Note on Расширять: The 'ш' sound is a voiceless postalveolar fricative, similar to the 'sh' in English "shoe," but ensure stress on the second syllable for correct emphasis.

Audio: []

Вздуваться: [vzydʊˈvatsə]

Note on Вздуваться: This is a reflexive verb; the 'вз-' prefix indicates an action affecting the subject, and the stress falls on the third syllable. Be cautious with the 'д' sound, which is dental.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To swell or expand outward, often referring to physical objects or body parts.

Translation(s) & Context:

• Вздуваться - Used in contexts involving physical swelling, such as medical descriptions or everyday observations of inflation.
• Расширять - Applied in more general or metaphorical contexts, like expanding materials or concepts, but less common for bodily swelling.

Usage Examples:

• Его живот вздулся после обильного ужина.

  His stomach distended after a heavy dinner. (Shows physical swelling in an informal, everyday context.)

• Баллон расширяется под давлением газа.

  The balloon distends under gas pressure. (Illustrates a general expansion in a scientific setting.)

• Врачи заметили, как ткань вздувается из-за инфекции.

  Doctors noticed how the tissue distended due to infection. (Demonstrates medical usage with reflexive verb.)

• Металл расширяется при нагревании, что может привести к деформации.

  The metal distends when heated, which can lead to deformation. (Shows metaphorical or physical expansion in technical contexts.)

• Ее лицо вздувается от аллергии каждый весной.

  Her face distends from allergies every spring. (Highlights repeated, personal health-related usage.)

Meaning 2: To cause something to expand or swell (causative sense).

Translation(s) & Context:

• Расширять - Used when an external force causes expansion, such as in engineering or abstract concepts.

Usage Examples:

• Инженеры расширяют трубу, чтобы улучшить поток.

  Engineers distend the pipe to improve the flow. (Focuses on deliberate action in a professional context.)

• Газ расширяет мембрану, вызывая давление.

  The gas distends the membrane, causing pressure. (Shows causative expansion in a scientific scenario.)

• Врач расширяет вену для введения катетера.

  The doctor distends the vein to insert the catheter. (Medical application with precise action.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'Расширять' and 'Вздуваться' are verbs, so they follow Russian verb conjugation patterns. 'Расширять' is a first-conjugation verb (imperfective aspect), while 'Вздуваться' is reflexive and imperfective. Russian verbs inflect for tense, aspect, person, and number.

Note: These verbs are imperfective; perfective forms exist (e.g., 'Расширить' for 'Расширять'), but they are not direct equivalents for 'distend' without context.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: Увеличивать (uveličivatʹ) - Increases size; Распухать (raspuxatʹ) - Swell specifically, often with inflammation.
• Распухать is more precise for bodily swelling but shares subtle differences in connotation with Вздуваться.
• Antonyms: Сжимать (sžimatʹ) - To contract or compress.

Related Phrases:

• Вздутие живота - Refers to abdominal distension, often in medical contexts; commonly used for bloating symptoms.
• Расширять горизонты - Means to broaden horizons or expand perspectives; a metaphorical phrase in educational or personal development.
• Вздутая река - Describes a swollen or distended river due to flooding; used in environmental or weather-related discussions.

Usage Notes:

'Distend' corresponds most closely to 'Вздуваться' in physical or medical contexts, where the action is reflexive and affects the subject directly. Use 'Расширять' for intentional or external expansion, as it implies causation. Be mindful of formal vs. informal settings: 'Вздуваться' is common in everyday Russian, while 'Расширять' suits technical writing. Grammatically, always conjugate based on subject and tense, and note that Russian verbs often require aspectual pairs for complete expression.

• When choosing between translations, opt for 'Вздуваться' if the expansion is involuntary (e.g., swelling), and 'Расширять' if it's deliberate.
• In spoken Russian, these verbs may vary by region, so context is key for natural usage.

Common Errors:

English learners often confuse 'Вздуваться' with 'Распухать', using them interchangeably, but 'Распухать' implies inflammation or pain, which isn't always present in 'distend'. For example:

• Incorrect: "Его живот распух после еды." (This suggests swelling with discomfort, potentially inaccurate.)
• Correct: "Его живот вздулся после еды." (This neutrally describes expansion without implying pain.)
• Another error is forgetting the reflexive particle in 'Вздуваться', e.g., saying "Вздувать" alone, which changes the meaning to "to inflate something externally." Always include '-ся' for reflexive action.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, terms like 'Вздутие живота' are frequently discussed in health contexts due to traditional remedies and folklore around digestion. For instance, bloating is often linked to dietary habits in rural or historical narratives, reflecting the importance of homeopathic treatments in everyday life.

Related Concepts:

• Увеличивать
• Сжимать
• Распухать