Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'liken'

English Word: liken

Key Russian Translations:

• сравнивать /sɐrɐˈnʲivətʲ/ - [Verb, Informal, Used in everyday comparisons]
• уподоблять /ʊpɐˈdobʲlʲətʲ/ - [Verb, Formal, Used in literary or poetic contexts]

Frequency: Medium (Common in spoken and written Russian, especially in discussions or literature)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and contextual usage)

Pronunciation (Russian):

сравнивать: /sɐrɐˈnʲivətʲ/

уподоблять: /ʊpɐˈdobʲlʲətʲ/

Note on сравнивать: The stress is on the third syllable; be careful with the palatalized 'н' sound, which can be tricky for English speakers.

Note on уподоблять: This word has a more formal tone; the 'л' is soft, similar to 'ly' in "million."

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: To compare one thing to another, suggesting similarity

Translation(s) & Context:

• сравнивать - Used in casual or everyday contexts to draw parallels, such as in conversations or descriptions.
• уподоблять - Applied in more formal or literary settings, like essays or poetry, to imply a deeper analogy.

Usage Examples:

• Он часто сравнивает жизнь с путешествием, подчеркивая её непредсказуемость.

  He often likens life to a journey, emphasizing its unpredictability.

• В своей речи, оратор уподобляет успех восхождению на гору, требующему усилий и настойчивости.

  In his speech, the speaker likens success to climbing a mountain, requiring effort and persistence.

• Дети иногда сравнивают своих родителей с супергероями, видя в них идеал.

  Children sometimes liken their parents to superheroes, seeing them as ideals.

• Поэт уподобляет любовь пламени, которое может и обогреть, и обжечь.

  The poet likens love to a flame, which can both warm and burn.

• В научной статье автор сравнивает эволюцию с медленным потоком, где изменения происходят постепенно.

  In the scientific article, the author likens evolution to a slow stream, where changes occur gradually.

Secondary Meaning: To make something similar or equate figuratively

Translation(s) & Context:

• уподоблять - Often used in metaphorical or philosophical contexts to equate concepts.
• сравнивать - Less common here, but can be used informally for simple equivalences.

Usage Examples:

• Философ уподобляет человеческий разум компьютеру, но с эмоциональным компонентом.

  The philosopher likens the human mind to a computer, but with an emotional component.

• В разговоре она сравнивает новую диету с волшебством, обещающим быстрые результаты.

  In conversation, she likens the new diet to magic, promising quick results.

• Учитель уподобляет обучение путешествию, где каждый урок — это новый шаг.

  The teacher likens learning to a journey, where each lesson is a new step.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "сравнивать" and "уподоблять" are verbs in Russian, belonging to the first conjugation group. They follow regular patterns but have variations based on tense, aspect, and person. "Сравнивать" is imperfective, while a perfective counterpart might be "сравнить." "Уподоблять" is also imperfective, with "уподобить" as its perfective form.

These verbs do not have irregular inflections but require attention to aspect (imperfective for ongoing actions).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • аналогизировать (more formal, used in technical contexts)
  • приравнивать (implies equating values)
• Antonyms:
  • различать (to distinguish)
  • противопоставлять (to contrast)

Related Phrases:

• сравнивать с чем-то – Compare with something; used to introduce a basis for likeness.
• уподобить чему-либо – Liken to something; often in metaphorical expressions, e.g., in literature.
• как сравнить... – As if to compare...; a phrase for drawing analogies in speech.

Usage Notes:

"Liken" in English often implies a metaphorical or figurative comparison, which aligns closely with "сравнивать" in informal settings or "уподоблять" in formal ones. Choose "сравнивать" for everyday conversations to avoid sounding overly literary. Be mindful of aspect: use the imperfective form for ongoing or habitual actions. In Russian, these verbs typically require a direct object, so always follow with "с" (with) or "к" (to) for proper context.

• Grammar note: Verbs like these must agree in person and number when conjugated.
• Context tip: "Уподоблять" is preferred in written or artistic language, while "сравнивать" suits spoken dialogue.

Common Errors:

English learners often confuse the imperfective and perfective aspects. For example, they might incorrectly use "сравнить" (perfective) when describing an ongoing comparison, saying: "Я сравнить это с тем" (wrong: implies a completed action). Correct usage: "Я сравниваю это с тем" (I am comparing this to that). Another error is omitting the preposition, e.g., "Я уподоблять яблоко апельсину" (incorrect; should be "Я уподобляю яблоко апельсину"). Always include "to" equivalents like "апельсину" for accuracy.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, likening concepts is common in literature and folklore, as seen in works by Pushkin or Tolstoy, where nature or emotions are often compared to human experiences. This reflects a deep tradition of metaphor in Slavic languages, helping to convey emotional depth in poetry and proverbs.

Related Concepts:

• аналогия (analogy)
• метафора (metaphor)
• сходство (similarity)