{"id":14939,"date":"2022-01-17T10:00:04","date_gmt":"2022-01-17T10:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=14939"},"modified":"2022-01-17T14:31:43","modified_gmt":"2022-01-17T14:31:43","slug":"familiar-unknowns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/familiar-unknowns\/","title":{"rendered":"Familiar unknowns"},"content":{"rendered":"

In my blog about idioms with the word \u2018white\u2019<\/a> (\u0431\u0435\u043b\u044b\u0439<\/strong>), I got a great comment about two Russian words \u0447\u0435\u0440\u043d\u0438\u043b\u0430<\/strong> \u0438<\/strong> \u0431\u0435\u043b\u0438\u043b\u0430<\/strong> (black ink and white paint)<\/strong>. (Thank you @samonen! Have I mentioned we love to read your comments?) \u0411\u0435\u043b\u0438\u043b\u0430<\/strong> reminded me of the phrase \u201c<\/strong>\u0431\u0435\u043b\u0435\u043d\u044b<\/strong> \u043e\u0431\u044a\u0435\u043b\u0441\u044f<\/strong>\u201d<\/strong>. And before you ask, \u0431\u0435\u043b\u0438\u043b\u0430<\/strong> \u0438 \u0431\u0435\u043b\u0435\u043d\u0430<\/strong> are barely connected, except for the \u2018\u0431\u0435\u043b<\/strong>\u2019<\/strong> part, so if one were to read or hear \u2018<\/strong>\u0431\u0435\u043b\u0435\u043d\u044b<\/strong> \u043e\u0431\u044a\u0435\u043b\u0441\u044f<\/strong>\u2019<\/strong> they might imagine someone eating too much of something white, maybe even white paint. I wasn’t able to find why “\u0431\u0435\u043b\u0435\u043d\u0430” is called that way, because the plant is more yellowish that white and can even be black. This well-known phrase just sounds so unusual yet so common to non-native Russian speakers. And, there are plenty more idioms just like that! Therefore, I put together a list of a few more Russian idioms that are \u043d\u0430<\/strong> \u0441\u043b\u0443\u0445\u0443<\/strong> but that contain what I like to call the \u201cfamiliar unknown\u201d kind of words.<\/p>\n

*the drawing of a boyar is an original drawing for the blog by author\u2019s little sister Azil\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n

\u0411\u0435\u043b\u0435\u043d\u044b<\/strong> \u043e\u0431\u044a\u0435\u043b\u0441\u044f<\/strong><\/h4>\n

A phrase that people say at someone who is saying or doing something absurd.<\/p>\n

REVISE: \u0411\u0435\u043b\u0435\u043d\u0430<\/a> (henbanes) is a plant that grows abundantly in central and southern Russia. It contains is very poisonous if consumed in large quantities and leads to hallucinations and fever. By the way, \u0431\u0435\u043b\u0435\u043d\u0430<\/strong> goes by many different names that all reflect its poisonous affect on the human body, such as \u0431\u043b\u0435\u043a\u043e\u0442\u0430, \u0431\u0435\u0441\u0438\u0432\u043e, \u043a\u0443\u0440\u0438\u043d\u0430\u044f \u0441\u043b\u0435\u043f\u043e\u0442\u0430, \u043e\u0434\u0443\u0440\u044c, \u0434\u0443\u0440\u044c-\u0442\u0440\u0430\u0432\u0430.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In my experience, people usually use this phrase in a question, for example:<\/p>\n

\u0422\u044b \u0447\u0442\u043e, \u0431\u0435\u043b\u0435\u043d\u044b \u043e\u0431\u044a\u0435\u043b\u0441\u044f? <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Literally: Did you eat too much of beleni? Means: Are you out of your mind?<\/p>\n

\u0411\u044b\u0442\u044c \u043d\u0430\u0447\u0435\u043a\u0443<\/strong><\/h4>\n

To be on guard, to be in high-alert mode, to be ready<\/p>\n

I hear this phrase so often in both casual and formal conversations and I\u2019m positive you\u2019ve heard it in a movie or read it somewhere before too. Russians don\u2019t consider this idiom literally because the word “\u043d\u0430\u0447\u0435\u043a\u0443” is not used outside of this idiom anymore, with the rare expcetion of “\u0447\u0435\u043a\u0430 \u0434\u043b\u044f \u043e\u0433\u043d\u0435\u0442\u0443\u0448\u0438\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044f<\/strong>” (pull pin for the fire extinguisher). So, \u043d\u0430\u0447\u0435\u043a\u0443<\/strong> is not related to the word \u201c\u0447\u0435\u043a<\/strong>\u201d (receipt or bill). Apparently, it stems from the word \u201c\u0447\u0435\u043a\u0430<\/strong>\u201d, the pin or a wedge that goes through a hole to holds parts together (like a cotter).<\/p>\n

To use this phrase most naturally, incorporate it as an imperative \u201c\u0411\u0443\u0434\u044c<\/strong> \u043d\u0430\u0447\u0435\u043a\u0443<\/strong>!\u201d (Be ready or be on guard).<\/p>\n

\"a

Drawing of a boyar by author’s sister, Azil<\/p><\/div>\n

\u0421\u043f\u0443\u0441\u0442\u044f<\/strong> \u0440\u0443\u043a\u0430\u0432\u0430<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Do something \u0441\u043f\u0443\u0441\u0442\u044f<\/strong> \u0440\u0443\u043a\u0430\u0432\u0430<\/strong> means to approach a task with little to no enthusiasm.<\/p>\n

This idiom is like a beautiful little \u044f\u043d\u0442\u0430\u0440\u043d\u044b\u0439<\/strong> \u043a\u0430\u043c\u0435\u043d\u044c<\/strong> that trapped within itself a precious morsel of Russian history. Do you remember the verb \u0441\u043f\u0443\u0441\u0442\u0438\u0442\u044c<\/strong>, as in \u2018to lower something down\u2019? \u0421\u043f\u0443\u0441\u0442\u044f<\/strong> \u0440\u0443\u043a\u0430\u0432\u0430<\/strong> (literally, with one\u2019s sleeves down low) dates back to 17th<\/sup> century when the latest fashion trend for \u0431\u043e\u044f\u0440\u0435<\/strong> (boyars<\/a> or Russian feudal lords) was to wear extra-long sleeves. As with many cultures across history, any garment of clothing, accessory, or style choice that made it impossible to do any physical labor translated to \u201cI\u2019m better than everybody and therefore don\u2019t need to work\u201d.<\/p>\n

On the contrary, \u0434\u0435\u043b\u0430\u0442\u044c<\/strong> \u0447\u0442\u043e<\/strong>–<\/strong>\u043b\u0438\u0431\u043e<\/strong> \u0437\u0430\u0441\u0443\u0447\u0438\u0432<\/strong> \u0440\u0443\u043a\u0430\u0432\u0430<\/strong> means to do something with rolled-up sleeves, as in with enthusiasm, putting in effort.<\/p>\n

\"an

\u0424\u043e\u0442\u043e \u0430\u0432\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0430\u00a0Anna Shvets<\/a><\/strong>:\u00a0Pexels<\/a><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

\u041c\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0447\u0438\u0442\u044c<\/strong> \u0433\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0443<\/strong><\/h4>\n

To mess with someone\u2019s head or to bother someone with foolish questions and requests.<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/strong>\u041d\u0435<\/strong> \u043c\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0447\u044c<\/strong> \u043c\u043d\u0435<\/strong> \u0433\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0443<\/strong>!\u201d<\/strong> Have you heard this one before? My grandma has a great alternative to this idiom where she says \u201c<\/strong>\u041d\u0435<\/strong> \u0441\u0443\u0448\u0438<\/strong> \u043c\u043d\u0435<\/strong> \u043c\u043e\u0437\u0433\u0438<\/strong>!\u201d<\/strong> (Don\u2019t dehydrate or dry my brain!)<\/p>\n

At first glance, \u043c\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0447\u0438\u0442\u044c<\/strong>, appears to be so out of nowhere, as if its only use is to convey the \u201cstop messing with my head\u201d sentiment. Although, if you know the words \u201c\u043e\u0431\u043c\u043e\u0440\u043e\u043a<\/strong>\u201d (loss of consciousness when one faints), \u201c\u043c\u043e\u0440\u043e\u043a\u0430<\/strong>\u201d (a burdensome affair or task) and, most importantly, \u201c\u043c\u0440\u0430\u043a<\/strong>\u201d (darkness, fog) then you have dealt with that family of words. If you think about it, all of them have to do with \u2018being in a foggy state of mind\u2019.<\/p>\n

Are there any Russian words or phrases that strike you as \u201cfamiliar unknowns\u201d? Things you have heard many times but still not sure about what they mean. Write your answers in the comments below.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"a

In my blog about idioms with the word \u2018white\u2019 (\u0431\u0435\u043b\u044b\u0439), I got a great comment about two Russian words \u0447\u0435\u0440\u043d\u0438\u043b\u0430 \u0438 \u0431\u0435\u043b\u0438\u043b\u0430 (black ink and white paint). (Thank you @samonen! Have I mentioned we love to read your comments?) \u0411\u0435\u043b\u0438\u043b\u0430 reminded me of the phrase \u201c\u0431\u0435\u043b\u0435\u043d\u044b \u043e\u0431\u044a\u0435\u043b\u0441\u044f\u201d. And before you ask, \u0431\u0435\u043b\u0438\u043b\u0430 \u0438 \u0431\u0435\u043b\u0435\u043d\u0430 are…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":171,"featured_media":14946,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[3,82,8,1],"tags":[557290,557288,117515,56889,557289],"class_list":["post-14939","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture","category-idioms","category-language","category-uncategorized","tag-difficult-russian-words","tag-interesting-russian-idioms","tag-old-russian-words","tag-russian-idioms","tag-unusual-russian-idioms"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14939","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/171"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14939"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14939\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14955,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14939\/revisions\/14955"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14946"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14939"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14939"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14939"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}