Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'fox'

English Word: fox

Key Russian Translations:

• лисица /lʲɪˈsʲit͡sə/ - [Common usage, can be formal or informal]
• хитрец /xʲɪˈtrɛts/ - [Informal, metaphorical for a cunning person]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in everyday language, literature, and wildlife discussions)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of basic noun declensions and metaphorical expressions)

Pronunciation (Russian):

лисица: /lʲɪˈsʲit͡sə/

хитрец: /xʲɪˈtrɛts/

Note on лисица: The stress is on the third syllable; be careful with the palatalized 'л' sound, which is a common challenge for English speakers.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Literal Meaning: A wild animal of the dog family

Translation(s) & Context:

• лисица - Used in general contexts for the animal, such as in nature or biology discussions.

Usage Examples:

• В лесу живёт лисица, которая ловит мышей по ночам.

  In the forest lives a fox that catches mice at night.

• Охотники видели лисицу у реки на рассвете.

  The hunters saw a fox by the river at dawn.

• Лисица – хитрый зверь, всегда ускользающий от ловушек.

  The fox is a cunning animal, always escaping from traps.

• В зоопарке дети наблюдали за лисицей в вольере.

  In the zoo, children watched the fox in the enclosure.

Metaphorical Meaning: A cunning or sly person

Translation(s) & Context:

• хитрец - Used informally to describe someone clever or deceptive in social or storytelling contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Этот хитрец всегда находит способ избежать наказания.

  This sly fox always finds a way to avoid punishment.

• В сказках лисица часто изображена как хитрец, обманывающий других.

  In fairy tales, the fox is often portrayed as a cunning trickster deceiving others.

• Не верь этому хитрецу; он наверняка что-то задумал.

  Don't trust this sly fox; he's surely up to something.

• Она – настоящий хитрец в переговорах, всегда выходит победителем.

  She's a real fox in negotiations, always coming out on top.

• Хитрец в компании друзей устроил забавный розыгрыш.

  The cunning one among friends set up a funny prank.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For лисица (a feminine noun), it follows the standard first declension pattern. Here is a table of its inflections:

For хитрец (a masculine noun), it is less inflected but follows common patterns:

• Nominative: хитрец
• Genitive: хитреца
• It does not change in all cases and is often used in its base form in informal speech.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • Лисица (for animal) – similar to the primary term.
  • Хитрец – Пройдоха (proydokha, meaning rogue, with a more negative connotation).
  • Лис (lis, a shorter, poetic form for fox).
• Antonyms:
  • Наивный (naivnyj, meaning naive).
  • Прямой (pryamoj, meaning straightforward).

Related Phrases:

• Лисица в курятнике – A fox in the henhouse (meaning a dangerous element in a vulnerable situation).
• Хитрый как лиса – Sly as a fox (a common idiom for extreme cunning).
• Ловить лису – To catch a fox (metaphorically, to outsmart someone clever).

Usage Notes:

"Лисица" directly corresponds to the literal meaning of "fox" as an animal and is versatile in both formal and informal contexts. For metaphorical use, "хитрец" is preferred in casual conversations but avoid it in professional settings where it might sound derogatory. When choosing between translations, opt for "лисица" for animal-related topics and "хитрец" for human characteristics. Pay attention to gender agreement in sentences, as "лисица" is feminine.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "лиса" instead of "лисица" (a common misspelling or confusion with the female fox).

  Correct: "лисица" is the standard form; "лиса" is incorrect and may not be understood.

  Example of error: "Я видел лиса в лесу" (Wrong).

  Correct: "Я видел лисицу в лесу" (Right – proper noun form).

• Error: Forgetting declension, e.g., using nominative in all cases.

  Example of error: "Я думаю о лисица" (Wrong – should be genitive).

  Correct: "Я думаю о лисице" (Right – dative case).

Cultural Notes:

In Russian folklore, the fox (лисица) is often depicted as a clever and tricky character, similar to Western tales, in stories like those by Ivan Krylov. This reflects cultural values around wit and survival, but it can also carry negative connotations of deceit in modern usage.

Related Concepts:

• Волк (volk – wolf)
• Заяц (zayats – hare)
• Хитрость (khitrost – cunning)