Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'recoil'

English Word: recoil

Key Russian Translations:

• отдача [ɐtˈdakə] - [Formal, Noun, Used in contexts like firearms or physics]
• отшатнуться [ɐtʂɐˈtnutʲsʲə] - [Informal, Verb, Used to describe sudden physical reactions like flinching]

Frequency: Medium (Common in technical, military, or everyday descriptive language, but not as frequent as basic vocabulary)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of noun declensions and verb conjugations; for 'отдача' as a noun, it's B1, while 'отшатнуться' as a verb is B2 due to irregular aspects)

Pronunciation (Russian):

отдача: [ɐtˈdakə]

отшатнуться: [ɐtʂɐˈtnutʲsʲə]

Note on отдача: The stress is on the second syllable; be careful with the soft 't' sound, which can be tricky for English speakers due to the dental pronunciation.

Note on отшатнуться: This is a reflexive verb; the 'ʂ' sound (like 'sh' in 'shoe') is prominent and may vary slightly in fast speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: The backward movement or force, especially of a gun when fired.

Translation(s) & Context:

• отдача - Used in formal or technical contexts, such as describing physics or weaponry in writing or conversation.

Usage Examples:

• При выстреле из ружья ощущается сильная отдача.

  When firing the rifle, a strong recoil is felt.

• Отдача от пистолета может травмировать неопытного стрелка.

  The recoil from the pistol can injure an inexperienced shooter.

• Инженеры разрабатывают новые материалы, чтобы уменьшить отдачу в огнестрельном оружии.

  Engineers are developing new materials to reduce recoil in firearms.

• После отдачи пули стрелку нужно быстро восстановить равновесие.

  After the recoil of the bullet, the shooter needs to quickly regain balance.

Meaning 2: To suddenly draw back or flinch, often due to fear, surprise, or disgust.

Translation(s) & Context:

• отшатнуться - Used in informal or narrative contexts, such as in literature or everyday storytelling to describe emotional or physical reactions.

Usage Examples:

• Он отшатнулся от неожиданного громкого звука.

  He recoiled from the unexpected loud noise.

• При виде змеи она инстинктивно отшатнулась назад.

  At the sight of the snake, she instinctively recoiled backward.

• Отшатнувшись от плохого запаха, он закрыл нос рукой.

  Recoiling from the foul smell, he covered his nose with his hand.

• В фильме герой отшатнулся, когда увидел привидение.

  In the movie, the hero recoiled when he saw the ghost.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'отдача' (feminine noun, 1st declension), it follows standard Russian noun patterns with regular inflections based on case and number:

For 'отшатнуться' (imperfective reflexive verb), it is conjugated irregularly like other reflexive verbs. Example in present tense:

Note: This verb has aspectual pairs; it is imperfective, and its perfective counterpart is 'отшатнуться' itself in perfective contexts.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • отдача: толчок (tolk - a push or jolt, often in physical contexts)
  • отшатнуться: отпрянуть (otpryagnut' - to jerk back, similar but more abrupt)
• Antonyms:
  • отдача: поглощение (pogloshchenie - absorption, opposite in physics)
  • отшатнуться: приблизиться ( priblizit'sya - to approach, opposite action)

Related Phrases:

• Сильная отдача - Strong recoil (Used in contexts of weapons or impacts; refers to intense backward force.)
• Отшатнуться в страхе - To recoil in fear (A common phrase in emotional descriptions; implies a instinctive reaction.)
• Уменьшить отдачу - To reduce recoil (Often in technical discussions; relates to engineering solutions.)

Usage Notes:

• 'Отдача' directly corresponds to the noun form of 'recoil' in English, especially in mechanical or military contexts, and is neutral in tone. Use it in formal writing or technical discussions.
• 'Отшатнуться' is more dynamic and aligns with the verb form, capturing emotional or physical withdrawal; it's reflexive, so always include the '-ся' ending. Choose this over other synonyms if the context involves suddenness.
• Grammar note: Nouns like 'отдача' require case agreement, e.g., in genitive for possession. Verbs like 'отшатнуться' must agree in aspect; use perfective for completed actions.
• In informal speech, 'отшатнуться' might be softened in polite contexts, but it's generally versatile across scenarios.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'отдача' without proper declension, e.g., saying "большой отдача" instead of "большая отдача" (feminine agreement). Correct: Always decline based on gender and case. Explanation: Russian nouns must agree with adjectives and prepositions, which English learners often overlook.
• Error: Omitting the reflexive particle in 'отшатнуться', e.g., saying "отшатнуть" which is incorrect. Correct: Use "отшатнуться". Explanation: This changes the meaning or makes it ungrammatical, as it's inherently reflexive.
• Error: Confusing 'отдача' with 'возврат' (return), leading to misuse in contexts like physics. Correct: Stick to 'отдача' for recoil. Explanation: 'Возврат' implies sending back, not backward force, so context is key.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, terms like 'отдача' are often associated with military history, given Russia's emphasis on defense and weaponry in literature and media (e.g., in war novels by authors like Tolstoy). 'Отшатнуться' might appear in folklore or films to depict instinctive reactions, reflecting themes of survival in harsh environments, which is a common motif in Russian storytelling.

Related Concepts:

• толчок (tolk - jolt or push)
• отпрянуть (otpryagnut' - to jerk back)
• поглощение (pogloshchenie - absorption)