Russian Translation(s) & Details for '{{thumb}}'

English Word: {{thumb}}

Key Russian Translations:

• большой палец (/bɐlʲˈʂoj pɐˈlʲets/) - [Informal; Used in everyday contexts]

Frequency: Medium (Common in daily conversations and descriptions of the human body)

Difficulty: A2 (Basic vocabulary for beginners, but requires understanding of noun phrases)

Pronunciation (Russian):

большой палец: /bɐlʲˈʂoj pɐˈlʲets/

Note on большой палец: The "ш" sound in "большой" is a soft, palatalized "sh" which can be challenging for English speakers; practice with native audio for accuracy.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

The digit on the human hand opposite the fingers

Translation(s) & Context:

• большой палец - Used in general descriptions of anatomy or everyday situations, such as pointing or holding objects (Informal, everyday language).

Usage Examples:

• Мой большой палец болит после тренировки.

  My thumb hurts after the workout.

• Она показала большой палец вверх, чтобы показать одобрение.

  She gave a thumbs-up to show approval.

• Дети рисуют большой палец на картинках руки.

  Children draw the thumb on hand pictures.

• Врачи осматривают большой палец при травмах кисти.

  Doctors examine the thumb in hand injuries.

• Большой палец помогает в хватании предметов.

  The thumb helps in gripping objects.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

"Большой палец" is a noun phrase consisting of an adjective ("большой") and a noun ("палец"). In Russian, nouns like "палец" are masculine and follow the standard third-declension pattern for masculine nouns ending in a consonant.

Note: The adjective "большой" agrees in gender, number, and case with "палец," making it a regular inflection.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • палец руки (finger of the hand; more general but can specify)
  • первый палец (first finger; less common, used in some contexts)
• Antonyms:
  • мизинец (pinky finger; the opposite in size and position)

Related Phrases:

• Поднять большой палец - To give a thumbs-up (Expression of approval or positivity).
• Большой палец ноги - Big toe (Related to the foot, extending the concept).
• Сосать большой палец - To suck one's thumb (Idiomatic for childish behavior or procrastination).

Usage Notes:

In Russian, "большой палец" directly translates to "thumb" and is the standard term for the anatomical part. It is versatile and used in both formal (e.g., medical contexts) and informal settings. Unlike English, Russian requires agreement in case, number, and gender, so always ensure the adjective matches the noun. When choosing between translations, "большой палец" is the most precise and common; avoid literal translations if context demands idiomatic expressions.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "палец" alone without "большой," which might imply any finger. Correct: Specify "большой палец" for accuracy. For example, incorrect: "Мой палец болит" (could mean any finger); correct: "Мой большой палец болит."
• Error: Forgetting case agreement, e.g., saying "большой палец" in genitive as "большой палец" instead of "большого пальца." This can lead to grammatical errors in sentences.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the thumbs-up gesture ("поднять большой палец") is widely recognized and used similarly to English-speaking countries to signify approval. However, in some formal or traditional contexts, it might be seen as too casual, so context matters.

Related Concepts:

• палец (finger)
• кисть (hand)
• сустав (joint)