Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'intoxicant'

English Word: intoxicant

Key Russian Translations:

• интоксикант [in.tɐk.si'kant] - [Formal, Technical]
• наркотик [nɐr'ko.tʲik] - [Informal, Often used for illegal substances]
• психоактивное вещество [p.sʲi.xo.ɐk'tʲiv.nəje vʲɪʂ'ʂest.və] - [Formal, Scientific context]

Frequency: Low (This term and its translations are not commonly used in everyday conversation; more prevalent in medical, legal, or academic discussions.)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires familiarity with Russian noun declensions and technical vocabulary. For 'наркотик', it may be A2 for basic learners, but full contextual use is B2.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

интоксикант: [in.tɐk.si'kant] (Stress on the third syllable; the 'т' is soft, and the word is pronounced with a clear Russian accentuation.)

наркотик: [nɐr'ko.tʲik] (Stress on the second syllable; the 'тʲ' indicates a palatalized 't', which is a common feature in Russian phonetics.)

Note on наркотик: Be cautious with the palatalization; non-native speakers often soften it too much, making it sound like 'nɐr'ko.chik'. Practice with native audio for accuracy.

Note on психоактивное вещество: This is a compound phrase; pronounce each word separately, with stress on 'ak' in психоактивное and 'vesh' in вещество. It's longer, so break it down for clarity.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: A substance that causes intoxication, such as alcohol or drugs, leading to altered mental states.

Translation(s) & Context:

• интоксикант - Used in formal or medical contexts, such as discussing toxicology or pharmacology.
• наркотик - Applied in informal or legal settings, especially for addictive or illegal drugs; avoid in polite conversation due to stigma.
• психоактивное вещество - Common in scientific or psychological discussions, emphasizing the psychoactive effects.

Usage Examples:

• Врачи предупреждают о вреде интоксикантов, таких как алкоголь и табак.

  Doctors warn about the harm of intoxicants, such as alcohol and tobacco.

• Злоупотребление наркотиком может привести к серьезным проблемам со здоровьем.

  Abuse of a narcotic can lead to serious health problems.

• Психоактивные вещества, включая интоксиканты, изучаются в лабораториях для разработки лекарств.

  Psychoactive substances, including intoxicants, are studied in laboratories for developing medicines.

• В обществе растет осведомленность о рисках, связанных с употреблением интоксикантов.

  In society, awareness is growing about the risks associated with the use of intoxicants.

• Некоторые наркотики классифицируются как легкие интоксиканты, но они все равно опасны.

  Some narcotics are classified as light intoxicants, but they are still dangerous.

Meaning 2: Something that produces a state of euphoria or impairment, often metaphorically in literature or psychology.

Translation(s) & Context:

• интоксикант - In metaphorical contexts, like poetry or essays, to describe emotional or artistic influences.
• психоактивное вещество - Used in psychological discussions for non-physical intoxicants, such as certain emotions or experiences.

Usage Examples:

• Для поэта любовь выступает как интоксикант, искажающий реальность.

  For the poet, love acts as an intoxicant, distorting reality.

• Психоактивные вещества в искусстве часто символизируют интоксиканты души.

  Psychoactive substances in art often symbolize intoxicants of the soul.

• Интоксикант в виде музыки может изменить настроение человека.

  An intoxicant in the form of music can change a person's mood.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Most translations like 'интоксикант' and 'наркотик' are masculine nouns in Russian, which undergo declension based on case and number. 'Психоактивное вещество' is a neuter noun phrase, with 'вещество' being the core noun that inflects.

For 'психоактивное вещество', it remains relatively stable as a phrase, but 'вещество' inflects like a neuter noun (e.g., Genitive: психоактивного вещества).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • препарат (preparat) - General term for a substance, often in medical contexts; less specific than 'интоксикант'.
  • вещество (veshchestvo) - Broad synonym for any chemical agent; use when emphasizing composition.
  • стимулятор (stimulyator) - For stimulants specifically, highlighting energy-boosting effects.
• Antonyms:
  • антидот (antidot) - Directly counters the effects of an intoxicant.
  • средство трезвости (sredstvo trezvosti) - Literal opposite, meaning a sobriety aid.

Related Phrases:

• Употребление интоксикантов (Upo treblyeniye intoksikantov) - Refers to the consumption of intoxicants; used in health campaigns.
• Зависимость от наркотика (Zavisimost' ot narkotika) - Addiction to a narcotic; common in psychological discussions.
• Психоактивное вещество в медицине (Psikhoaktivnoye veshchestvo v meditsine) - Psychoactive substance in medicine; highlights therapeutic uses.

Usage Notes:

'Intoxicant' translates most accurately to 'интоксикант' in formal settings, but English speakers should note that Russians often prefer more everyday terms like 'наркотик' for drugs. Be mindful of context: 'наркотик' carries a strong negative connotation and is best avoided in neutral discussions. For general substances, 'психоактивное вещество' is safer and more neutral. Grammatically, always decline nouns according to case, as Russian requires agreement with prepositions and verbs. When choosing between translations, opt for 'интоксикант' in scientific writing and 'наркотик' in casual or legal contexts, but verify cultural sensitivity.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using 'интоксикант' interchangeably with 'токсикант' (which doesn't exist; learners might confuse it with 'токсин'). Correct: Stick to 'интоксикант' for intoxication-specific terms. Example of error: "Я принял токсикант" (incorrect); Correct: "Я принял интоксикант". Explanation: 'Токсин' means toxin, not intoxicant, so this could lead to misunderstanding in medical contexts.
• Mistake: Failing to decline 'наркотик' properly, e.g., saying "зависимость от наркотик" instead of "зависимость от наркотика". Correct: Always use the genitive case. Explanation: Russian nouns must agree in case, and ignoring this makes sentences grammatically incorrect.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, discussions around intoxicants like 'наркотик' are heavily influenced by historical anti-drug campaigns, especially post-Soviet era reforms. Terms like 'интоксикант' may evoke memories of state-controlled health education, emphasizing the social stigma and legal ramifications of substance abuse, which is a sensitive topic in modern Russian society.

Related Concepts:

• алкоголь (alkogol)
• табак (tabak)
• стимулятор (stimulyator)
• антидот (antidot)