Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'wicked'

English Word: wicked

Key Russian Translations:

• злой [zloʲɪj] - [Informal, often used for personal or emotional contexts]
• плохой [ˈplo.xəj] - [Formal, general negative quality]
• озорной [ɐˈzor.nəj] - [Informal, playful or mischievous connotation]

Frequency: Medium - The word 'wicked' and its Russian equivalents are commonly encountered in literature, everyday conversation, and media, but not as frequent as basic adjectives.

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) - Learners at this level can grasp the basic usage, though nuances like context-dependent translations may require further practice. For 'злой', it's B1; for 'плохой', it's A2.

Pronunciation (Russian):

злой: [zloʲɪj] - The 'й' sound is a soft 'y' glide, which can be tricky for English speakers; emphasize the palatalization.

плохой: [ˈplo.xəj] - Stress on the first syllable; the 'х' is a guttural sound similar to the Scottish 'loch'.

озорной: [ɐˈzor.nəj] - Stress on the second syllable; note the rolling 'р' for a more authentic pronunciation.

Note on злой: This word has a soft consonant at the end, which affects vowel pronunciation in inflected forms.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Evil or morally bad (e.g., in a sinister sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• злой - Used in informal contexts, such as describing a villain in a story or someone's temperament.
• плохой - Applied in formal or neutral settings, like critiquing behavior or objects.

Usage Examples:

• Он был злым колдуном в сказке. (He was a wicked wizard in the fairy tale.)

  Translation: He was a wicked wizard in the fairy tale. (Shows 'wicked' in a narrative context.)

• Её злые намерения раскрылись слишком поздно. (Her wicked intentions were revealed too late.)

  Translation: Her wicked intentions were revealed too late. (Illustrates moral judgment.)

• Плохой человек не заслуживает доверия. (A wicked person doesn't deserve trust.)

  Translation: A wicked person doesn't deserve trust. (Emphasizes general negativity.)

• Злой ветер разрушил дом. (The wicked wind destroyed the house.)

  Translation: The wicked wind destroyed the house. (Metaphorical use in nature descriptions.)

Meaning 2: Playful or mischievous (e.g., in British English slang)

Translation(s) & Context:

• озорной - Informal, often for children or light-hearted situations.

Usage Examples:

• Дети были озорными, как маленькие проказники. (The kids were wicked, like little mischief-makers.)

  Translation: The kids were wicked, like little mischief-makers. (Demonstrates playful connotation.)

• Его озорная улыбка всегда предвещала шутку. (His wicked smile always foreshadowed a joke.)

  Translation: His wicked smile always foreshadowed a joke. (Shows in interpersonal contexts.)

• Озорной подросток устроил розыгрыш. (The wicked teenager pulled a prank.)

  Translation: The wicked teenager pulled a prank. (Highlights informal, fun usage.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

These adjectives follow standard Russian adjective inflection patterns, which vary by gender, number, and case. They are not irregular but require agreement with the noun they modify.

Note: These adjectives do not change in short form for predicates, e.g., "он зл" (he is wicked), but full forms are used in attributive positions.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • злой: жестокий (zhestokii - cruel), вредный (vrednyi - harmful)
  • плохой: дурной (durnoi - bad), некачественный (nekachestvennyi - substandard; with a subtle difference in implying poor quality)
  • озорной: шаловливый (shalolivyi - naughty), игривый (igrivyi - playful)
• Antonyms:
  • злой: добрый (dobryi - kind)
  • плохой: хороший (khoroshyi - good)
  • озорной: серьёзный (seryoznyi - serious)

Related Phrases:

• Злой как демон (Zloi kak demon) - As wicked as a demon; used to emphasize extreme evilness.
• Плохой пример (Plokhoi primer) - A wicked example; refers to a negative role model.
• Озорная проделка (Ozornaia prodelka) - A wicked prank; for playful mischief.

Usage Notes:

'Wicked' in English can have positive slang meanings (e.g., great), but in Russian, equivalents like 'злой' are strictly negative. Choose 'злой' for emotional or personal contexts and 'плохой' for neutral descriptions. Be mindful of gender and case agreement in sentences, as Russian adjectives must match the noun. For learners, start with 'плохой' for its broader applicability before exploring nuances of 'злой' or 'озорной'.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'злой' in formal writing when 'плохой' is more appropriate. Correct: Instead of "злой план" (wicked plan) in a business context, use "плохой план" to avoid sounding overly dramatic. Explanation: 'Злой' implies moral evil, which may not fit neutral scenarios.

• Error: Forgetting adjective agreement, e.g., saying "злой женщина" instead of "злая женщина". Correct: Always adjust for gender (злая for feminine). Explanation: This is a common grammatical mistake for English speakers unused to inflection.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'злой' often appear in folklore, such as in fairy tales with characters like Baba Yaga, symbolizing ancient fears of wickedness. This reflects a historical emphasis on moral binaries in Slavic traditions, where 'wicked' figures serve as cautionary tales.

Related Concepts:

• дьявольский (diavolskii - devilish)
• злодей (zloyei - villain)
• хитрый (khitryi - cunning)