Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'shellfish'

English Word: shellfish

Key Russian Translations:

• моллюски [mɐˈlʲʉskʲɪ] - [Formal, Plural; commonly used in scientific or culinary contexts]
• ракообразные [rəkəʊbrɐzˈnɨje] - [Formal; specifically for crustaceans like crabs and shrimp, often in biological discussions]

Frequency: Medium (This term and its translations are encountered in everyday conversations about food, marine biology, and environmental topics, but not as common as basic vocabulary.)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of basic noun declensions and vocabulary related to nature and food. For 'моллюски', it's straightforward; for 'ракообразные', it may vary slightly based on context.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

моллюски: [mɐˈlʲʉskʲɪ]

Note on моллюски: The stress falls on the second syllable ('lʲʉ'). Pronunciation can vary slightly in regional dialects, with a softer 'л' sound in European Russian.

ракообразные: [rəkəʊbrɐzˈnɨje]

Note on ракообразные: The word has a rolling 'р' and stress on the third syllable ('zˈnɨ'). Be mindful of the plural form in spoken language.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

General meaning: Marine animals with shells, such as clams, oysters, crabs, or shrimp, often in culinary or biological contexts.

Translation(s) & Context:

• 'моллюски' - Used in formal or scientific contexts for mollusks; in everyday talk for edible shellfish in recipes or menus.
• 'ракообразные' - Applied when referring specifically to crustaceans; common in educational or environmental discussions.

Usage Examples:

• Я люблю есть моллюски на ужин, особенно устрицы и мидии.

  I love eating shellfish for dinner, especially oysters and mussels.

• В океане обитают различные ракообразные, включая крабов и креветок.

  In the ocean, various shellfish inhabit, including crabs and shrimp.

• Моллюски часто используются в салатах, но нужно убедиться, что они свежие.

  Shellfish are often used in salads, but you need to make sure they are fresh.

• Из-за загрязнения моря, популяция ракообразных сокращается.

  Due to sea pollution, the population of shellfish is declining.

• В ресторане мы заказали блюдо с моллюсками и овощами.

  At the restaurant, we ordered a dish with shellfish and vegetables.

Specialized meaning: In biological classification, referring to invertebrates.

Translation(s) & Context:

• 'моллюски' - Preferred in academic or scientific writing for broader shellfish categories.

Usage Examples:

• Моллюски являются важной частью экосистемы океана.

  Shellfish are an important part of the ocean ecosystem.

• Учёные изучают, как ракообразные адаптируются к изменению климата.

  Scientists study how shellfish adapt to climate change.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'моллюски' and 'ракообразные' are nouns and follow standard Russian declension patterns for plural forms. 'Моллюски' is a plural-only noun in common usage and declines as a first-declension masculine noun. 'Ракообразные' is an adjective-derived noun and declines based on its adjectival roots.

Note: These words do not have singular forms in standard usage for shellfish, making them invariable in number for this context.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • морепродукты (more general for seafood; used in culinary contexts)
  • устрицы (specific for oysters, with subtle differences in regional usage)
  • креветки (specific for shrimp; implies a subset of shellfish)
• Antonyms:
  • млекопитающие (mammals; contrasts with invertebrates)
  • рыба (fish; used to differentiate from finned sea creatures)

Related Phrases:

• Свежие моллюски - Fresh shellfish; commonly used in markets or recipes to emphasize quality.
• Отварные ракообразные - Boiled shellfish; refers to prepared dishes, often in home cooking.
• Морские моллюски - Marine shellfish; highlights oceanic origin in environmental discussions.
• Запрет на ловлю ракообразных - Ban on catching shellfish; used in conservation contexts.

Usage Notes:

In Russian, 'моллюски' is the most direct equivalent to 'shellfish' in English, especially for mollusks, while 'ракообразные' is better for crustaceans. Choose based on context: use 'моллюски' for general or food-related discussions and 'ракообразные' for scientific ones. Note the plural-only nature, which aligns with English usage. Be cautious with formal vs. informal settings; these terms are neutral but may sound academic. Grammatically, always decline according to case for proper sentence structure.

Common Errors:

• Using the singular form incorrectly: Learners might say 'моллюск' thinking it's singular, but it's typically plural. Correct: Use 'моллюски' in all cases. Error example: "Я ем моллюск" (wrong) vs. "Я ем моллюски" (correct) – Explanation: Russian nouns like this don't have a common singular counterpart in shellfish contexts.
• Confusing with fish: Mistaking 'ракообразные' for 'рыба' (fish). Error example: "Раκοобразные плавают как рыба" (implies they swim like fish, which is inaccurate). Correct: "Раκοобразные обитают на дне" – Explanation: Shellfish are bottom-dwellers, not swimmers like fish.
• Overgeneralizing: Assuming 'моллюски' includes all seafood. Error example: "Моллюски – это рыба" (wrong). Correct: "Моллюски – это беспозвоночные" – Explanation: Specify that shellfish are invertebrates, not fish.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, shellfish like 'моллюски' are often associated with coastal regions such as the Black Sea or Far East, where they feature in traditional cuisine (e.g., in dishes like ukha soup). However, due to historical fishing restrictions and environmental concerns, there's a cultural emphasis on sustainable seafood, reflecting broader themes of environmental stewardship in modern Russian society.

Related Concepts:

• устрицы (oysters)
• креветки (shrimp)
• морские обитатели (marine inhabitants)
• экология океана (ocean ecology)