Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'flak'

English Word: flak

Key Russian Translations:

• Критика [krʲiˈtʲikə] - [Informal, commonly used in media and everyday discussions]
• Обстрел [ɐbˈstrel] - [Formal, military context, less common in metaphorical use]

Frequency: Medium (The word and its translations are encountered in news, discussions, and literature, but not as ubiquitous as basic vocabulary.)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of noun declensions and contextual usage for accurate application.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

Критика: [krʲiˈtʲikə]

Обстрел: [ɐbˈstrel]

Note on Критика: The stress is on the second syllable ('ti'), which can be tricky for English speakers due to the palatalized 't' sound; pronounce it softly as in 'cute'. Variations may occur in dialects.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Intense criticism or opposition, often in a metaphorical sense (e.g., public backlash)

Translation(s) & Context:

• Критика - Used in informal or professional settings to describe verbal attacks or reviews, such as in journalism or social media.
• Обстрел - Rarely used metaphorically; typically for literal military contexts, but can extend to intense scrutiny in formal writing.

Usage Examples:

• Его новая политика встретила сильную критику от оппозиции.

  His new policy faced strong flak from the opposition.

• В интернете часто бывает обстрел знаменитостей за их действия.

  Celebrities often face flak on the internet for their actions.

• Критика в прессе может разрушить карьеру политика.

  Flak in the press can destroy a politician's career.

• После скандала начался настоящий обстрел компании в СМИ.

  After the scandal, the company came under real flak in the media.

• Он ожидал критику, но не такую жесткую, как получилась.

  He expected some flak, but not as harsh as it turned out to be.

Meaning 2: Literal anti-aircraft fire (less common in modern metaphorical use)

Translation(s) & Context:

• Обстрел - Primarily in historical or military contexts, such as wartime descriptions.

Usage Examples:

• Во время войны самолеты подвергались обстрелу с земли.

  During the war, planes faced flak from the ground.

• Обстрел зенитными орудиями был интенсивным в той битве.

  The flak from anti-aircraft guns was intense in that battle.

• Пилоты избегали зон обстрела, чтобы минимизировать риски.

  Pilots avoided areas of flak to minimize risks.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For Критика (a feminine noun): It follows the standard first declension pattern in Russian, with changes based on case and number. It is regular and does not have irregularities.

For Обстрел (a masculine noun): It is also regular, following the second declension. No significant irregularities.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • Упрек (uprek) - Milder criticism, often personal.
  • Осуждение (osuzhdenie) - Formal condemnation, with a legal connotation.
• Antonyms:
  • Похвала (pohvala) - Praise, directly opposite in media or reviews.
  • Одобрение (odobrenie) - Approval, used in professional contexts.

Related Phrases:

• Жесткая критика - Harsh flak; used in debates or critiques to emphasize severity.
• Подвергаться обстрелу - To come under flak; common in military or metaphorical descriptions of attacks.
• Критика в адрес кого-либо - Flak directed at someone; indicates targeted opposition.

Usage Notes:

"Критика" is the most direct translation for the metaphorical sense of "flak" in English, especially in informal contexts like social media. It corresponds closely to English usage but requires attention to Russian case endings for grammatical accuracy. For formal or military contexts, "Обстрел" is preferred, though it's less flexible. When choosing between translations, opt for "Критика" in everyday scenarios and "Обстрел" only if the context is literal. Be mindful of the word's feminine gender in Russian, which affects agreements in sentences.

Common Errors:

• English learners often misuse cases, e.g., saying "сильный критика" instead of "сильная критика" (correct: with the feminine adjective agreement). Error: Сильный критика (incorrect); Correct: Сильная критика – because "критика" is feminine.
• Confusing with similar words: Mixing up "критика" with "критиковать" (to criticize), leading to verb-noun errors. Error: Я критиковал (verb form); Correct: Я подвергся критике (noun in proper case).

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, "критика" often carries a historical weight from Soviet-era self-criticism sessions, where public flak was used in political contexts. This can add a layer of intensity to its usage, making it more than just casual opposition and sometimes implying organized dissent.

Related Concepts:

• Критик (kritik) - Critic
• Оборона (oborona) - Defense
• Медиа-атака (media-ataka) - Media attack