Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'undercut'

English Word: undercut

Key Russian Translations:

• подрезать [pɐdrʲeˈzatʲ] - [Informal, Verb, Used in business or everyday contexts to imply cutting or undercutting]
• андеркат [anˈdɛrkat] - [Noun, Informal, Plural: андеркаты, Used in fashion or hairstyle discussions]

Frequency: Medium (Common in business and casual conversations, but not everyday vocabulary)

Difficulty: B1 Intermediate (Requires basic understanding of Russian verbs and nouns; for 'подрезать', it's straightforward, but contextual usage may vary)

Pronunciation (Russian):

подрезать: [pɐdrʲeˈzatʲ]

Note on подрезать: The stress falls on the second syllable ('re'), and the 'r' is rolled. Be mindful of soft consonants in spoken Russian.

андеркат: [anˈdɛrkat]

Note on андеркат: This is a borrowed word from English, so pronunciation is relatively phonetic; the stress is on the second syllable.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To sell goods or services at a lower price than competitors (Verb form)

Translation(s) & Context:

• подрезать - Used in business or economic contexts to describe price undercutting; common in competitive markets.

Usage Examples:

• Они подрезают цены на рынке, чтобы обойти конкурентов.

  They are undercutting prices in the market to outmaneuver competitors.

• Компания решила подрезать стоимость продукции для привлечения новых клиентов.

  The company decided to undercut the cost of products to attract new customers.

• В кризисные времена многие фирмы подрезают цены, рискуя прибылью.

  In times of crisis, many firms undercut prices, risking their profits.

• Он подрезает предложения конкурентов, предлагая более низкие ставки.

  He is undercutting his competitors' offers by providing lower rates.

Meaning 2: A type of short hairstyle where the sides and back are cut short (Noun form)

Translation(s) & Context:

• андеркат - Used in fashion, grooming, or casual conversations about hairstyles; often refers to modern or urban styles.

Usage Examples:

• Его андеркат выглядит стильно и современно.

  His undercut looks stylish and modern.

• В салоне мне сделали андеркат, и теперь волосы легче укладывать.

  At the salon, they gave me an undercut, and now my hair is easier to style.

• Андеркат популярен среди молодых людей в городах.

  The undercut is popular among young people in cities.

• Она выбрала андеркат для лета, чтобы облегчить уход за волосами.

  She chose an undercut for the summer to make hair maintenance easier.

• В модных журналах часто показывают варианты андерката с разными градиентами.

  Fashion magazines often feature variations of the undercut with different gradients.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'подрезать' (a verb), it follows the standard first conjugation pattern in Russian, with changes based on tense, aspect, and person. It is imperfective and can be conjugated irregularly in some forms.

For 'андеркат' (a masculine noun), it declines as a standard third-declension noun:

• Nominative: андеркат
• Genitive: андерката
• Dative: андеркату
• Accusative: андеркат
• Instrumental: андеркатом
• Prepositional: андеркате

Plural forms: Nominative - андеркаты; it is relatively invariable in casual use.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: снижать (snizhat' - to lower), демпинговать (dempingsvat' - to dump prices; more formal in business)
• Antonyms: повысить (povysit' - to raise), завышать (zavyshat' - to inflate prices; often used in economic contexts)

Related Phrases:

• Подрезать цены - To undercut prices; a common phrase in business discussions, implying aggressive pricing strategies.
• Сделать андеркат - To get an undercut; used in grooming contexts to describe a haircut appointment.
• Андеркат с градиентом - Undercut with a fade; refers to a stylish variation in fashion.

Usage Notes:

'Подрезать' directly corresponds to 'undercut' in business contexts but can also mean 'to trim' or 'to cut under' in literal senses, so context is key. For 'андеркат', it's a loanword and is informal; use it in casual or modern settings. When choosing between translations, opt for 'подрезать' for actions and 'андеркат' for nouns. Grammatically, verbs like 'подрезать' require aspect consideration (e.g., use perfective 'подрезать' for completed actions).

Common Errors:

English learners often confuse 'подрезать' with 'подстричь' (to cut hair), leading to misuse in business contexts. For example, incorrect: "Я подстриг цены" (I cut the prices) – this implies literal hair cutting. Correct: "Я подрезал цены" (I undercut prices). Another error is forgetting inflections; e.g., saying "подрезать цены" in past tense without adjusting for gender, like "подрезала цены" for feminine subjects.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, 'подрезать цены' reflects the competitive nature of markets, especially in post-Soviet economies where price wars are common. 'Андеркат' as a hairstyle symbolizes modern urban youth culture, often associated with rebellion or fashion trends influenced by Western styles.

Related Concepts:

• конкуренция (konkurentsiya - competition)
• демпинг (dempings - dumping, in economics)
• стрижка (strizhka - haircut)