Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'vulpine'

English Word: vulpine

Key Russian Translations:

• лисий /ˈlʲisʲɪj/ - [Adjective, Formal, Used in descriptive contexts]
• хитрый /ˈxʲitrɨj/ - [Adjective, Informal, Used in everyday conversations to describe cunning behavior]

Frequency: Low (This word and its translations are not commonly used in everyday Russian; more prevalent in literary or specialized contexts)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, based on CEFR; requires understanding of basic adjective forms and vocabulary related to animals and personality traits)

Pronunciation (Russian):

лисий: /ˈlʲisʲɪj/ (The soft 'л' sound is palatalized, which can be challenging for English speakers; emphasize the 'и' vowel for a clear, fox-like connotation)

Note on лисий: Pay attention to the soft consonant 'л' which affects the flow; common in formal descriptions.

хитрый: /ˈxʲitrɨj/ (The 'х' is a guttural sound, similar to the Scottish 'ch' in "loch"; the ending 'ый' softens in spoken Russian)

Note on хитрый: This word often has a stressed first syllable; variations in informal speech may reduce the guttural 'х'.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Resembling a fox (Referring to physical or animalistic characteristics)

Translation(s) & Context:

• лисий - Used in formal or literary contexts to describe features like a fox's appearance or behavior, such as in wildlife descriptions or metaphors.

Usage Examples:

• У него лисий взгляд, полный хитрости и осторожности.

  He has a vulpine gaze, full of cunning and caution.

• Эта лисья шкура выглядит очень реалистично в музее.

  This vulpine fur looks very realistic in the museum.

• Лисья морда животного напоминала древние легенды.

  The vulpine face of the animal evoked ancient legends.

• В сказках лисий персонаж часто символизирует ловкость.

  In folktales, the vulpine character often symbolizes agility.

Meaning 2: Cunning or sly (Referring to clever, deceptive behavior)

Translation(s) & Context:

• хитрый - Used in informal contexts to describe someone who is clever or deceptive, similar to "cunning" in English, often with a neutral or slightly negative connotation.

Usage Examples:

• Он всегда такой хитрый, что удается избегать проблем.

  He is always so vulpine that he manages to avoid problems.

• Ее хитрый план помог выиграть в игре.

  Her vulpine plan helped win the game.

• Хитрый торговец обманул покупателя ценой.

  The vulpine merchant deceived the buyer with the price.

• В политике хитрый подход иногда необходим для успеха.

  In politics, a vulpine approach is sometimes necessary for success.

• Дети могут быть хитрыми, чтобы получить желаемое.

  Children can be vulpine to get what they want.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "лисий" and "хитрый" are adjectives in Russian, which follow standard adjective inflection patterns. Russian adjectives change based on gender, number, and case. They are generally regular but require attention to agreement with nouns.

Note: These adjectives do not have irregular forms but must agree with the noun they modify. If the adjective is used predicatively, it may not change as much.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • ловкий (agile, clever; often used for physical dexterity)
  • хитроватый (somewhat cunning; a milder version of хитрый)
• Antonyms:
  • прямой (straightforward; implies honesty)
  • наивный (naive; lacks cunning)

Related Phrases:

• Лисья нора - A fox's den; refers to a hidden or secretive place, often metaphorically for a safe hideout.
• Хитрый как лиса - Cunning as a fox; a common idiom for describing deceptive behavior in stories or proverbs.
• Лисья хитрость - Vulpine cunning; used in contexts discussing clever strategies or tricks.

Usage Notes:

"Vulpine" corresponds closely to "лисий" for animal-like traits and "хитрый" for behavioral traits, but choose based on context: use "лисий" in formal or literary settings, and "хитрый" in casual conversations. Be aware of gender and case agreement in Russian sentences, as adjectives must match the noun. This word pair is more common in narrative or descriptive language rather than everyday speech, and overusing it might sound archaic to native speakers.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "лисий" interchangeably with "хитрый" without context. For example, saying "Он лисий человек" when meaning cunning, which sounds odd because "лисий" emphasizes fox-like appearance, not behavior.

  Correct: "Он хитрый человек" (He is a cunning person). Explanation: "Лисьий" is for physical resemblance, while "хитрый" fits behavioral descriptions; mix-ups can lead to confusion in meaning.

• Error: Forgetting adjective agreement, e.g., saying "хитрый женщина" instead of "хитрая женщина".

  Correct: "Хитрая женщина" (The cunning woman). Explanation: Russian adjectives must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun; English learners often overlook this grammatical rule.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the fox (лиса) is a staple in folklore, often portrayed as a clever trickster in tales like those of Ivan the Fool. Words like "хитрый" carry this cultural baggage, symbolizing intelligence and deception, which stems from ancient Slavic myths where animals represent human vices and virtues. This adds a layer of depth when using "vulpine" equivalents in literature or discussions about Russian folktales.

Related Concepts:

• лиса (fox)
• хитрость (cunning)
• ловушка (trap, often associated with cunning strategies)