Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'ration'

English Word: ration

Key Russian Translations:

• рацион [rɐˈtsjon] - [Formal, Noun]
• пайка [ˈpajkə] - [Informal, Noun, Used in military or emergency contexts]

Frequency: Medium (Common in discussions about food, military, or resource management)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate level, as it involves basic noun inflections and contextual usage)

Pronunciation (Russian):

рацион: [rɐˈtsjon]

Note on рацион: The stress is on the second syllable; the "о" sound is soft and can be tricky for beginners.

пайка: [ˈpajkə]

Note on пайка: Pronounced with a hard "п" and a soft "к" at the end; common in spoken Russian but less in formal writing.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: A fixed amount of food or supplies allocated to individuals, especially in times of scarcity.

Translation(s) & Context:

• рацион - Used in formal contexts like diet plans, military rations, or nutritional guidelines; implies a planned or measured allocation.
• пайка - Applied in informal or practical scenarios, such as wartime or emergency distributions; often connotes necessity rather than choice.

Usage Examples:

• Русский пример: "Во время войны солдаты получали строгий рацион еды."

  English translation: "During the war, soldiers received a strict ration of food."

• Русский пример: "Её рацион включал только здоровые продукты для диеты."

  English translation: "Her ration included only healthy products for the diet."

• Русский пример: "В лагере выдавалась пайка хлеба каждому человеку."

  English translation: "In the camp, a bread ration was issued to each person."

• Русский пример: "Правительство ввело пайку для жителей во время кризиса."

  English translation: "The government introduced a ration for residents during the crisis."

• Русский пример: "Рацион питания в больнице был сбалансированным."

  English translation: "The food ration in the hospital was balanced."

Meaning 2: To allocate or limit something in fixed amounts.

Translation(s) & Context:

• рационировать (verb form) - Used in formal or administrative contexts to describe the act of rationing resources.

Usage Examples:

• Русский пример: "Власти решили рационализировать водоснабжение в регионе."

  English translation: "The authorities decided to ration the water supply in the region."

• Русский пример: "Из-за дефицита топлива пришлось рационализировать его распределение."

  English translation: "Due to the fuel shortage, they had to ration its distribution."

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For the noun "рацион", it follows the standard masculine noun patterns in Russian, which include changes in cases and numbers. "Пайка" is a feminine noun with its own inflections.

Note: The verb form "рационировать" is irregular and follows first conjugation patterns: e.g., рационализирую (1st person sg.), рационализируешь (2nd person sg.), etc.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • пайка (similar to ration in emergency contexts)
  • норма (norm or standard allocation; differs by implying a set standard rather than scarcity)
• Antonyms:
  • избыток (surplus; used when there's more than needed)
  • неограниченный (unlimited; contrasts with the idea of restriction)

Related Phrases:

• рацион питания - A daily food ration; Explanation: Refers to a planned diet, often in health or nutritional contexts.
• военная пайка - Military ration; Explanation: Common in discussions of armed forces logistics, implying basic survival supplies.
• рационировать продукты - To ration products; Explanation: Used in economic crises to describe limiting access to goods.

Usage Notes:

"Рation" in English corresponds most closely to "рацион" in formal Russian contexts, such as nutrition or resource management, while "пайка" is more specific to informal or historical uses like wartime distributions. Be mindful of the noun's gender and case when constructing sentences; for example, use the genitive case for possession (e.g., "рациона еды" for "ration of food"). In spoken Russian, "пайка" might carry a connotation of hardship, so choose based on context to avoid unintended tones. If the English word is used as a verb, opt for "рационировать" and conjugate accordingly.

Common Errors:

• Error: Confusing "рацион" with "рация" (which means "radio"). Correct: Use "рацион" for food allocation; e.g., Incorrect: "Его рация была ограничена" (wrong meaning), Correct: "Его рацион был ограничен" (His ration was limited). Explanation: This mix-up occurs due to similar spelling; always check the context.

• Error: Failing to inflect properly, e.g., using "рацион" in the wrong case. Correct: In a sentence like "Я ел рацион", it should be "Я ел рацион" (nominative), but for "from the ration", use "из рациона". Explanation: Russian requires case agreement, which English learners often overlook, leading to grammatical errors.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, terms like "пайка" evoke memories of World War II and the Soviet era, when food rations were common due to shortages. This can add a historical or emotional layer to conversations, so using it carelessly might unintentionally reference past hardships. "Рацион" is more neutral and is often discussed in modern contexts like healthy eating or environmental sustainability.

Related Concepts:

• норма
• дефицит
• продовольствие