Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'hoary'

English Word: hoary

Key Russian Translations:

• седой [ˈsʲedəj] - [Formal, typically used for describing hair or people aged with grayness]
• древний [ˈdrʲevnʲij] - [Formal, often in historical or literary contexts for ancient things]

Frequency: Medium (These words appear in standard Russian texts, literature, and everyday discussions about age or history, but are not as common in casual conversation as more neutral terms.)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for both translations, as they involve basic adjective forms and contextual usage; learners at this level should grasp them with practice in descriptive language.

Pronunciation (Russian):

седой: [ˈsʲedəj] (The 'sʲ' sound is a soft 's' followed by a palatalized 'e'; stress on the first syllable. Note that the 'ой' ending softens the pronunciation.)

древний: [ˈdrʲevnʲij] (Stress on the first syllable; 'дрʲ' has a palatalized 'r' sound, which can be tricky for non-native speakers.)

Note on седой: Be cautious with the soft consonants; it may vary slightly in fast speech.

Note on древний: The ending '-ий' indicates a masculine adjective form, and pronunciation can shift in different declensions.

Audio: []

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Gray or white with age (e.g., referring to hair or appearance due to aging)

Translation(s) & Context:

• седой - Used in formal or descriptive contexts, such as literature or personal descriptions, to denote aging gracefully.

Usage Examples:

• Его седые волосы придавали ему вид мудрого старца.

  His hoary hair gave him the appearance of a wise elder.

• Седой старик сидел на скамейке, вспоминая молодость.

  The hoary old man sat on the bench, reminiscing about his youth.

• В её седой шевелюре скрывались годы опыта и знаний.

  In her hoary locks hid years of experience and knowledge.

• Седой иней покрыл землю ранним утром.

  Hoary frost covered the ground early in the morning (extending to metaphorical uses).

Meaning 2: Ancient, very old, or venerable (e.g., referring to traditions, legends, or objects)

Translation(s) & Context:

• древний - Applied in historical, cultural, or poetic contexts to describe something from the distant past, emphasizing timelessness.

Usage Examples:

• Эта древняя легенда передается из поколения в поколение.

  This hoary legend is passed down from generation to generation.

• Древний замок стоял на холме, полный тайн и историй.

  The hoary castle stood on the hill, full of mysteries and stories.

• В древней рукописи были записаны забытые обычаи.

  In the hoary manuscript, forgotten customs were recorded.

• Древний обычай празднования все еще соблюдается в деревне.

  The hoary custom of celebration is still observed in the village.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "седой" and "древний" are adjectives in Russian, which inflect based on gender, number, and case. Russian adjectives agree with the nouns they modify and follow standard declension patterns for hard-stem adjectives.

For "седой" (sedoy):

For "древний" (drevniy), it follows a similar pattern but is a soft-stem adjective:

These adjectives do not change in short form contexts but must agree with the noun in all attributes.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms for седой: белый (belyy) - more literal for white; сивый (sivyy) - for grayish tones in specific contexts.
• Synonyms for древний: старинный (starinnyy) - implying antique or old-fashioned; вековой (vekovoy) - emphasizing age over centuries.
• Antonyms for седой: черный (chernyy) - black, opposite in color.
• Antonyms for древний: новый (novyy) - new, contrasting with antiquity.

Related Phrases:

• седые волосы - Hoary hair (used to describe aging features in personal or poetic descriptions).
• древняя история - Hoary history (refers to ancient or time-worn narratives in cultural contexts).
• седой иней - Hoary frost (a metaphorical phrase for winter scenes, implying age and cold).

Usage Notes:

"Hoary" corresponds closely to "седой" when emphasizing physical aging, like hair color, and to "древний" for abstract or historical age. Use "седой" in formal or literary settings to avoid sounding archaic in everyday speech. "Древний" is ideal for cultural or historical discussions but may carry a positive connotation of wisdom. When choosing between translations, consider the context: physical vs. temporal age. Always ensure adjective agreement with nouns in gender, number, and case to maintain grammatical accuracy in Russian sentences.

• In formal writing, pair "седой" with human subjects for elegance.
• Avoid overusing "древний" in modern contexts to prevent sounding overly dramatic.

Common Errors:

English learners often confuse "седой" with "старый" (old), leading to misuse in descriptions. For example, incorrect: "Он седый человек" (implying only hair color), but if focusing on overall age, use "старый". Correct usage: "Его седые волосы" vs. Error: "Его седый возраст" (wrong, as "седой" doesn't apply to abstract concepts like age). Another error is forgetting declension; e.g., incorrect genitive: "седого волосы" instead of "седых волос". Always decline properly to match the noun's case.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, "седой" often evokes images from folklore and literature, such as in fairy tales where elderly characters with hoary hair symbolize wisdom and experience, as seen in works by Pushkin. "Древний" ties to Russia's rich historical narrative, like references to ancient Slavic myths, emphasizing a deep respect for antiquity and tradition.

Related Concepts:

• старый (old)
• вековой (age-old)
• древесный (pertaining to wood or ancient forests)