Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'gaunt'

English Word: gaunt

Key Russian Translations:

• худой /xʊˈdoj/ - [Informal, often used for general thinness]
• изможденный /ɪzˈmoʒdʲɪnːɨj/ - [Formal, emphasizes exhaustion or emaciation]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in everyday descriptions and literature, but not as frequent as basic adjectives like "big" or "small").

Difficulty: B1 for худой (Intermediate, as it follows standard adjective patterns); C1 for изможденный (Advanced, due to its more complex form and nuanced connotations).

Pronunciation (Russian):

худой: /xʊˈdoj/ (The "x" sound is a guttural fricative, similar to the "ch" in Scottish "loch".)

изможденный: /ɪzˈmoʒdʲɪnːɨj/ (Note on изможденный: Pay attention to the palatalized "dʲ" sound, which can be tricky for learners; it's softer than a standard "d".)

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: Thin, emaciated, or haggard appearance, often implying poor health or starvation.

Translation(s) & Context:

• худой - Used in informal contexts to describe someone who is simply thin, without strong negative connotations (e.g., in casual conversations about appearance).
• изможденный - Applied in more formal or literary contexts to convey extreme exhaustion or deprivation (e.g., in medical or historical descriptions).

Usage Examples:

• Его лицо было худым после долгой болезни. (His face was gaunt after a long illness.)

  Translation: His face was thin after a long illness. (This example shows худой in a health-related context, highlighting physical change.)

• Изможденный путник наконец добрался до деревни. (The gaunt traveler finally reached the village.)

  Translation: The emaciated traveler finally reached the village. (Here, изможденный emphasizes severe fatigue in a narrative setting.)

• Она выглядела худой и уставшей после интенсивных тренировок. (She looked gaunt and tired after intense workouts.)

  Translation: She looked thin and tired after intense workouts. (Demonstrates худой in a modern, everyday fitness context.)

• В старых фотографиях видно, как изможденные люди пережили войну. (In old photographs, you can see how gaunt people survived the war.)

  Translation: In old photographs, you can see how emaciated people survived the war. (Illustrates изможденный in a historical or emotional context.)

• Дети в деревне были худыми, но полными энергии. (The children in the village were gaunt but full of energy.)

  Translation: The children in the village were thin but full of energy. (Shows худой in a neutral or positive light, contrasting with energy levels.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both худой and изможденный are adjectives, which inflect based on gender, number, and case in Russian. Adjectives in Russian agree with the nouns they modify and follow standard patterns, though изможденный is less common and may feel more formal.

Note: These are regular adjective inflections. худой is invariant in short form (e.g., он худ), while изможденный rarely appears in short form due to its descriptive nature.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: тощий (toshyy) - more neutral for thinness; стройный (stroynyy) - slender, often positive; исхудавший (ishkhudavshiy) - wasted away, similar to gaunt.
• Antonyms: полный (polnyy) - full, plump; упитанный (upitannyy) - well-fed, indicating healthiness. (Note: полный is a common everyday antonym, while упитанный carries a more rustic connotation.)

Related Phrases:

• худой как щепка - Thin as a rail (Used to exaggerate extreme thinness in informal speech, implying frailty).
• изможденный вид - Gaunt appearance (A phrase for describing someone's exhausted look in formal or literary contexts).
• стать худым - To become gaunt (Often in health-related discussions, e.g., after illness).

Usage Notes:

худой is a straightforward translation for "gaunt" in everyday contexts but can sometimes sound too casual or even neutral, so use изможденный for more precise, negative connotations like severe emaciation. In Russian, adjectives must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they describe, which is a key grammatical difference from English. For example, choose худой for masculine subjects and худую for feminine. When deciding between translations, opt for худой in spoken language and изможденный in written or formal settings to match the intensity of "gaunt."

Common Errors:

• Error: Using худой interchangeably with тощий without considering context. Correct: тощий is more about being skinny without implying health issues, while худой can suggest gauntness. Example of error: "Он тощий после болезни" (incorrect for emphasizing emaciation); Correct: "Он худой после болезни."
• Error: Forgetting adjective agreement, e.g., saying "худой женщина" instead of "худая женщина." Explanation: Russian adjectives must match the noun's gender; this is a common mistake for English speakers used to invariant adjectives.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like изможденный often appear in literature and historical contexts, such as descriptions of famine during WWII or in works by authors like Tolstoy, where physical gauntness symbolizes hardship and resilience. This reflects Russia's history of endurance through adversity, making such vocabulary emotionally charged in storytelling.

Related Concepts:

• здоровый (zdorovyy) - healthy
• усталый (ustaly) - tired
• ослабленный (oslablennyy) - weakened