Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'impermanence'

English Word: impermanence

Key Russian Translations:

• непостоянство /nʲɪ.pɐˈstoɪ̯.nəstvə/ - [Formal, Philosophical]
• временность /ˈvrʲe.mʲɪn.nəsʲtʲ/ - [Informal, Everyday]
• преходящесть /prʲɪˈxɐ.dʲa.ʃʲɛsʲtʲ/ - [Formal, Literary]

Frequency: Medium (commonly encountered in philosophical texts, literature, and discussions on life changes, but not in everyday casual conversation).

Difficulty: C1 (Advanced; requires understanding of abstract concepts and Russian noun declensions; for 'непостоянство', it's particularly challenging due to its formal usage, while 'временность' might be B2 for intermediate learners).

Pronunciation (Russian):

непостоянство: /nʲɪ.pɐˈstoɪ̯.nəstvə/ (The stress is on the third syllable; note the palatalized 'н' sound, which can be tricky for English speakers as it resembles 'ny' in 'canyon').

временность: /ˈvrʲe.mʲɪn.nəsʲtʲ/ (Stress on the first syllable; pay attention to the soft 'м' and 'н', which involve slight tongue curling.)

преходящесть: /prʲɪˈxɐ.dʲa.ʃʲɛsʲtʲ/ (Stress on the second syllable; the 'х' is a guttural sound like in Scottish 'loch', and 'щ' is a prolonged 'sh' sound.)

Note on непостоянство: This word often has variations in speed and emphasis in spoken Russian, especially in poetic contexts, where the final syllable may be softened.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

The state of not lasting forever; transient nature (e.g., in philosophy or daily life)

Translation(s) & Context:

• непостоянство - Used in formal or philosophical discussions, such as Buddhist concepts or reflections on life's changes.
• временность - Applied in everyday contexts, like describing temporary jobs or seasonal events.
• преходящесть - Found in literary works, emphasizing the fleeting quality of experiences.

Usage Examples:

• В буддизме непостоянство считается одной из основных истин жизни.

  In Buddhism, impermanence is considered one of the fundamental truths of life.

• Молодость имеет свою временность, и её нужно ценить.

  Youth has its own impermanence, and it should be cherished.

• Преходящесть человеческих отношений часто приводит к разочарованиям.

  The impermanence of human relationships often leads to disappointments.

• В философии непостоянство мира подчеркивается как источник мудрости.

  In philosophy, the impermanence of the world is emphasized as a source of wisdom.

• Из-за временности работы он решил искать что-то более стабильное.

  Due to the impermanence of the job, he decided to look for something more stable.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

All key translations are nouns. 'Непостоянство' and 'временность' are neuter nouns, while 'преходящесть' is a feminine abstract noun. Russian nouns inflect based on case, number, and gender. Below is a table for 'непостоянство' as an example; others follow similar patterns with slight variations.

For 'временность', it follows a similar neuter pattern but is less commonly inflected in plural forms. 'Преходящесть' as a feminine noun has endings like: Genitive - преходящести. These are regular declensions, but learners should note that abstract nouns like these often remain in singular for emphasis.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • временность (similar to 'impermanence' but with a focus on time-based transience; often used in casual contexts)
  • преходящесть (emphasizes fleetingness, more poetic than 'непостоянство')
  • тленность (implies decay or mortality, with a darker connotation)
• Antonyms:
  • постоянство (permanence or constancy, directly opposite in philosophical discussions)
  • вечность (eternity, used in contexts of timelessness)

Related Phrases:

• чувство непостоянства - Feeling of impermanence (often in emotional or psychological contexts).
• временность жизни - The impermanence of life (used in reflections on mortality).
• преходящесть момента - The fleetingness of the moment (common in literary or mindfulness discussions).

Usage Notes:

'Impermanence' translates most accurately to 'непостоянство' in formal settings, such as philosophy or Buddhism, where it captures the core idea of transience. In everyday Russian, 'временность' might be preferred for less abstract uses, like temporary situations. Be mindful of grammatical gender and case: all these nouns require correct declension based on their role in the sentence. For English speakers, avoid direct word-for-word translation; instead, choose the synonym based on context—e.g., use 'преходящесть' for poetic writing. Multiple translations allow flexibility, but 'непостоянство' is the safest default for general correspondence.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using 'непостоянство' in the wrong case, e.g., saying "о непостоянство" instead of "о непостоянстве" (correct: prepositional case). Explanation: Russian requires nouns to agree in case with prepositions; always check the governing preposition.
• Mistake: Confusing 'непостоянство' with 'непостоянный' (an adjective meaning 'unstable'). Incorrect: "Это непостоянство человек" (wrong word class). Correct: "Это непостоянный человек" for an unstable person, or "Это состояние непостоянства" for the concept. Explanation: Ensure the word matches the intended part of speech to avoid semantic errors.
• Mistake: Overusing in casual speech; e.g., saying 'непостоянство' for a short-term job when 'временность' is more natural. Explanation: This can sound overly formal; select based on register to match native fluency.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, concepts like 'непостоянство' are deeply tied to literary traditions, such as in the works of Leo Tolstoy or Fyodor Dostoevsky, where impermanence reflects the human condition and existential struggles. It's also influenced by Eastern philosophies like Buddhism, which have gained popularity in Russia, emphasizing that understanding impermanence leads to enlightenment and reduces attachment to material things.

Related Concepts:

• смерть (death)
• изменение (change)
• тлен (decay)
• вечность (eternity)