Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'slave'

English Word: slave

Key Russian Translations:

• раб [/rab/] - [Formal, Historical]
• рабыня [/raˈbɨnʲə/] - [Formal, Feminine form]

Frequency: Medium (commonly encountered in historical, literary, or social contexts, but not in everyday modern conversation).

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of basic noun inflections and historical connotations, with some variations by translation).

Pronunciation (Russian):

раб: [/rab/]

рабыня: [/raˈbɨnʲə/]

Note on раб: The stress is on the first syllable; be cautious with the final consonant, which can soften in rapid speech. For рабыня, the 'ы' sound is a distinct back vowel, common in Russian.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: A person who is owned by another and forced to work without freedom (historical or metaphorical context).

Translation(s) & Context:

• раб - Used in formal, historical, or literary contexts to denote a male slave or serf, often implying subjugation or servitude.
• рабыня - Applied specifically to a female slave, in contexts emphasizing gender roles in historical narratives.

Usage Examples:

• В древнем Риме раб работал на полях с утра до вечера.

  In ancient Rome, the slave worked in the fields from morning until evening.

• Многие рабыни в истории боролись за свою свободу, несмотря на жестокие условия.

  Many female slaves in history fought for their freedom despite harsh conditions.

• Раб в этом романе символизирует утраченную свободу общества.

  The slave in this novel symbolizes the lost freedom of society.

• Во время восстания рабы объединились против своих хозяев.

  During the uprising, the slaves united against their owners.

• Рабыня, изображённая в картине, выглядит измождённой от тяжёлого труда.

  The female slave depicted in the painting appears exhausted from hard labor.

Meaning 2: In modern contexts, such as computing, a subordinate or auxiliary device (e.g., in technology).

Translation(s) & Context:

• раб - Informally used in tech contexts, though less common; implies a secondary role, e.g., in server architecture.

Usage Examples:

• В этой системе сервер-раб отвечает за обработку данных.

  In this system, the slave server is responsible for data processing.

• Раб-устройство в сети подключено к главному компьютеру.

  The slave device in the network is connected to the main computer.

• Программист настроил раба для автоматического резервного копирования.

  The programmer set up the slave for automatic backups.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "раб" and "рабыня" are nouns and follow standard Russian inflection patterns for masculine and feminine nouns, respectively. "Раб" is a masculine noun of the second declension, while "рабыня" is feminine.

Note: These forms are regular, but "рабыня" has feminine endings that may vary slightly in poetic or archaic usage.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • крепостной (/krʲɪˈposnɨj/) - Often used interchangeably in historical contexts, implying serfdom.
  • невольник (/nʲɪˈvolʲnʲɪk/) - Emphasizes involuntary status, with a slight connotation of captivity.
• Antonyms:
  • свободный (/svɐˈbodnɨj/) - Meaning "free," directly contrasting the lack of freedom.
  • хозяин (/xɐˈzajɪn/) - Meaning "owner" or "master," representing the opposite role.

Related Phrases:

• Рабский труд (/ˈrabskʲɪj ˈtrud/) - Forced labor; a phrase used in discussions of exploitation or history.
• Освободить раба (/ɐsvɐˈbodʲɪtʲ ˈraba/) - To free a slave; common in narratives about emancipation.
• Рабовладение (/rɐbɐvˈladʲɪnʲɪje/) - Slavery as a system; refers to the institution in historical contexts.

Usage Notes:

In Russian, "раб" directly corresponds to the English "slave" in historical or metaphorical senses but carries strong connotations of serfdom in Russian history, especially related to pre-1917 Russia. Use "раб" in formal or written contexts; avoid in casual speech to prevent sensitivity around topics like human rights. For the computing meaning, "раб" is less common and may be replaced with English loanwords like "slave device." When choosing between "раб" and "рабыня," consider gender agreement in sentences. Grammatically, always inflect according to case, as Russian requires.

• Tip: In modern Russian, this term is often used in educational or literary settings rather than everyday conversation due to its sensitive nature.

Common Errors:

English learners often misuse inflections, such as using the nominative "раб" in all cases (e.g., saying "о раб" instead of "о рабе" in prepositional case). Correct usage: Incorrect: "Я думаю о раб." (Wrong inflection) | Correct: "Я думаю о рабе." (Proper genitive/prepositional form). Another error is confusing it with "работник" (worker), which doesn't imply slavery; always check context to avoid dilution of meaning.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, "раб" evokes the history of serfdom under the Tsars, where peasants were bound to the land until the 1861 emancipation. This term carries emotional weight, often symbolizing oppression in literature like Tolstoy's works, and is tied to themes of social inequality and revolution in Russian history.

Related Concepts:

• Крепостничество
• Эмансипация
• Революция