{"id":3535,"date":"2012-08-15T08:00:12","date_gmt":"2012-08-15T08:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=3535"},"modified":"2014-07-17T18:41:33","modified_gmt":"2014-07-17T18:41:33","slug":"beyond-%d1%80%d1%83%d0%ba%d0%b0-and-%d0%bd%d0%be%d0%b3%d0%b0-words-for-outside-body-parts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/beyond-%d1%80%d1%83%d0%ba%d0%b0-and-%d0%bd%d0%be%d0%b3%d0%b0-words-for-outside-body-parts\/","title":{"rendered":"Beyond \u00ab\u0440\u0443\u043a\u0430\u00bb and \u00ab\u043d\u043e\u0433\u0430\u00bb: Words for (outside) body parts"},"content":{"rendered":"

When you first begin studying Russian, one of the things they tell you is that \u0440\u0443\u043a\u0430<\/span><\/b> can be translated as either “hand” or “arm” — and similarly, \u043d\u043e\u0433\u0430<\/span><\/b> can mean either “foot” or “leg.” Well, that’s pretty darn convenient for the beginning student, with fewer new words to memorize!<\/p>\n

But wait — what if you really NEED to say, precisely, “the part of my \u043d\u043e\u0433\u0430<\/span><\/b> between the toes and the ankle”? And how do<\/i> you say “ankle,” for that matter? In this post, we’ll take a look at some of those more specific terms for your external<\/i> body parts — thereby completing our look at human anatomy that began with a journey through the digestive tract<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
When the U.S. launched the Pioneer<\/i> space probes, we included this helpful diagram showing extraterrestrial chefs all the juiciest, meatiest cuts of the human body, along with “driving directions” to our planet…
\nAfter you’ve read this post, you’ll know the Russian names for most of the parts depicted!<\/div>\n

Let’s first take a minute to review the declension for a noun you may already know: \u0433\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0430<\/span><\/b> (“head”).<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\u0433\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0430<\/span><\/b> (“head”)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nsing.<\/i><\/td>\npl.<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
nominative<\/i><\/td>\n\u0433\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0430<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n\u0433\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u043e\u0432\u044b<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
genitive<\/i><\/td>\n\u0433\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0432\u044b<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n\u0433\u043e\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0432<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
dative<\/i><\/td>\n\u0433\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0435<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n\u0433\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u043c<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
accusative<\/i><\/td>\n\u0433\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0443<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n\u0433\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u043e\u0432\u044b<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
instrumental<\/i><\/td>\n\u0433\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0432\u043e<\/span>\u0439<\/b><\/td>\n\u0433\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u043c\u0438<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
prepositional<\/i><\/td>\n\u0433\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0435<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n\u0433\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u0445<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Notice that in the acc. sg.<\/i> and nom.\/acc. pl.<\/i>, the stress shifts from the ending to the first syllable \u0433\u043e-<\/b>, while in the gen. pl.<\/i>, the stress is on the second syllable -\u043b\u043e\u0432-<\/b>. But in all the other forms, the word is “ending stressed.” Theoretically, the gen. pl.<\/i> is ending-stressed, too, but since the genitive plural of feminine nouns typically has a “null ending” (aka “\u00d8-ending”), the stress is forced back onto the stem, as it has nowhere else to go! And the nouns \u0440\u0443\u043a\u0430<\/span><\/b> and \u043d\u043e\u0433\u0430<\/span><\/b> follow essentially the same stress-shifting pattern: all forms are ending-stressed except acc. sg.<\/i>, nom.\/acc. pl.<\/i>, and gen. pl.<\/i>, which are stem-stressed.<\/p>\n

With that grammar lesson out of the way, let’s check out some vocabulary, beginning with…<\/p>\n

Parts of\/on the \u0433\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0430<\/span><\/b> (“head”)<\/h3>\n

The human face as a whole is \u043b\u0438\u0446\u043e<\/span><\/b>, but we can divide it into smaller parts. The forehead is \u043b\u043e\u0431<\/b> (gen. sg.<\/i> \u043b\u0431\u0430<\/b>), and right below that we find the \u0431\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u0438<\/b> (“eyebrows”; gen. pl.<\/i> \u0431\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0439<\/b>). You may already know \u0433\u043b\u0430\u0437\u0430<\/span><\/b> (“eyes”), but around each \u0433\u043b\u0430\u0437<\/b> you’ll find \u0432\u0435<\/span>\u043a\u0438<\/b> (“eyelids”; nom. sg.<\/i> \u0432\u0435<\/span>\u043a\u043e<\/b>) as well as \u0440\u0435\u0441\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0446\u044b<\/b> (“eyelashes”).<\/p>\n

On either side of the head are the \u0443<\/span>\u0448\u0438<\/b> (“ears”; gen. pl.<\/i> \u0443\u0448\u0435<\/span>\u0439<\/b>; nom. sing.<\/i> \u0443<\/span>\u0445\u043e<\/b>). But if you decide to get your ears pierced for a \u0441\u0435\u0440\u044c\u0433\u0430<\/span><\/b> (“earring”), you may want to specify whether you want the hole in the \u043c\u043e<\/span>\u0447\u043a\u0430<\/b> (“earlobe”) or in the \u0440\u0430<\/span>\u043a\u043e\u0432\u0438\u043d\u0430<\/b> (the cartilaginous upper part of the ear — lit., “seashell”).<\/p>\n

Two other words you might already know are \u043d\u043e\u0441<\/b> (“nose”) and \u0440\u043e\u0442<\/b> (“mouth”; gen. sg.<\/i> \u0440\u0442\u0430<\/b>). But to either side of these you’ll find a \u0449\u0435\u043a\u0430<\/span><\/b> (“cheek”; nom. pl.<\/i> \u0449\u0451\u043a\u0438<\/b>). And the holes in your \u043d\u043e\u0441<\/b> that you breathe through are the \u043d\u043e<\/span>\u0437\u0434\u0440\u0438<\/b> (“nostrils”, nom. sg.<\/i> \u043d\u043e\u0437\u0434\u0440\u044f<\/span><\/b>). Towards the bottom of the face, we have the \u0447\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u044e\u0441\u0442\u044c<\/b> (“jawbone; [lower] jaw”) and the \u043f\u043e\u0434\u0431\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u043e\u043a<\/b> (“chin”) — note that this word derives from \u043f\u043e\u0434 \u0431\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0434\u043e<\/span>\u0439<\/span><\/b>, “under the beard.” Finally, the \u0448\u0435<\/span>\u044f<\/b> (“neck”) connects the head with the \u0442\u0443<\/span>\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0438\u0449\u0435<\/b> (“torso”). Before we move down from the head, however, let’s check out the declension of \u0447\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u044e\u0441\u0442\u044c<\/b> — simply because it’s a good model for feminine nouns ending in \u044c<\/b>, and we’ll be seeing a number of those as we continue:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\u0447\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u044e\u0441\u0442\u044c<\/b> (“lower jaw, jawbone”)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nsing.<\/i><\/td>\npl.<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
nominative<\/i><\/td>\n\u0447\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u044e\u0441\u0442\u044c<\/b><\/td>\n\u0447\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u044e\u0441\u0442\u0438<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
genitive<\/i><\/td>\n\u0447\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u044e\u0441\u0442\u0438<\/b><\/td>\n\u0447\u0435\u043b\u044e\u0441\u0442\u0435<\/span>\u0439<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
dative<\/i><\/td>\n\u0447\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u044e\u0441\u0442\u0438<\/b><\/td>\n\u0447\u0435\u043b\u044e\u0441\u0442\u044f<\/span>\u043c<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
accusative<\/i><\/td>\n\u0447\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u044e\u0441\u0442\u044c<\/b><\/td>\n\u0447\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u044e\u0441\u0442\u0438<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
instrumental<\/i><\/td>\n\u0447\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u044e\u0441\u0442\u044c\u044e<\/b> <\/b><\/td>\n\u0447\u0435\u043b\u044e\u0441\u0442\u044f<\/span>\u043c\u0438<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
prepositional<\/i><\/td>\n\u0447\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u044e\u0441\u0442\u0438<\/b><\/td>\n\u0447\u0435\u043b\u044e\u0441\u0442\u044f<\/span>\u0445<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

(Unfortunately, not ALL feminine nouns in \u044c<\/b> have predictable stress-shift to the ending in the gen. pl.<\/i>, dat. pl.<\/i>, inst. pl.<\/i>, and prep. pl.<\/i>, as \u0447\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u044e\u0441\u0442\u044c<\/b> does — but it’s a relatively common pattern. For instance, \u0431\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u044c<\/b>, “eyebrow,” is \u0431\u0440\u043e\u0432\u044f<\/span>\u043c<\/b> in the dat. pl.<\/i>.)<\/p>\n

Parts of the \u0442\u0443<\/span>\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0438\u0449\u0435<\/b> (“torso”)<\/h3>\n

As you may already know, \u0441\u043f\u0438\u043d\u0430<\/span><\/b> refers to the entire back, and not just the “spine”. E.g., \u0433\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0440\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u043e \u043a\u043e<\/span>\u043c-\u043d\u0438\u0431\u0443\u0434\u044c \u0437\u0430 \u0441\u043f\u0438\u043d\u043e<\/span>\u0439<\/b> is “to talk about someone behind their back.” But other parts of the torso include the \u0433\u0440\u0443\u0434\u044c<\/b> (fem.<\/i>), which means “chest” in the singular but is generally understood as “(female) breasts” in the plural form \u0433\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0434\u0438<\/b>. Whether female or male, all mammals have \u0441\u043e\u0441\u043a\u0438<\/span><\/b> (“nipples”); however, don’t confuse the singular \u0441\u043e\u0441\u043e<\/span>\u043a<\/b> (“a mammalian nipple”) with \u0441\u043e<\/span>\u0441\u043a\u0430<\/b> (“a rubber nipple on a baby’s bottle”). Finally, towards the bottom of the \u0442\u0443<\/span>\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0438\u0449\u0435<\/b>, we have — in front — a \u0436\u0438\u0432\u043e<\/span>\u0442<\/b> (“belly, abdomen, stomach”) and — in back — the \u044f<\/span>\u0433\u043e\u0434\u0438\u0446\u0430<\/b> (“the buttocks”, politely).<\/p>\n

Parts of the \u0440\u0443\u043a\u0430<\/span><\/b> (“arm”)<\/h3>\n

The joint between the arm and the torso is the \u043f\u043b\u0435\u0447\u043e<\/span><\/b> (“shoulder”; nom. pl.<\/i> \u043f\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u0447\u0438<\/b>), which can also refer to the “upper arm” all the way down to the \u043b\u043e<\/span>\u043a\u043e\u0442\u044c<\/b> (“elbow”, masc., gen. sg.<\/i> \u043b\u043e<\/span>\u043a\u0442\u044f<\/b>). Between the \u043b\u043e<\/span>\u043a\u043e\u0442\u044c<\/b> and the \u0437\u0430\u043f\u044f<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u044c\u0435<\/b> (“wrist”) is the \u043f\u0440\u0435\u0434\u043f\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u0447\u044c\u0435<\/b> (“forearm”). And everything below the wrist, which is to say the “hand” in the English sense, can be referred to as the \u043a\u0438\u0441\u0442\u044c<\/b> (fem.<\/i>). But the soft, fleshy, front part of the \u043a\u0438\u0441\u0442\u044c<\/b> — i.e., the “palm” that a Gypsy fortuneteller reads — is the \u043b\u0430\u0434\u043e<\/span>\u043d\u044c<\/b> (fem.<\/i>). Sticking out from the hand are the \u043f\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u0446\u044b<\/b> (“fingers”, nom. sg.<\/i> \u043f\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u0435\u0446<\/b>). And, finally, the convenient word \u0433\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u0441\u0442\u043e\u0447\u043a\u0430<\/b> literally means “the palm and fingers formed into a cupped position,” but more often refers to the approximate quantity that will fit inside a cupped hand<\/i>. So, if a Russian recipe calls for \u0433\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u0441\u0442\u043e\u0447\u043a\u0430 \u0438\u0437\u044e<\/span>\u043c\u0430<\/b>, it means you need to add “about a handful of raisins.”<\/p>\n

Parts of the \u043d\u043e\u0433\u0430<\/span><\/b> (“leg”)<\/h3>\n

Again, let’s start at the \u0442\u0443<\/span>\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0438\u0449\u0435<\/b> (“torso”). The legs connect to the torso at the \u0442\u0430\u0437<\/b> (“pelvis, hipbone”). Moving downward, we first come to the \u0431\u0435\u0434\u0440\u043e<\/span><\/b> (“thigh”; nom. pl.<\/i> \u0431\u0451\u0434\u0440\u0430<\/b>). Continuing down the leg: \u043a\u043e\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u043e<\/b> is “knee,” and the noun is also used when translating the verb “to kneel”. Thus, “to kneel” — i.e., “to get into a kneeling position” — can be rendered with \u0432\u0441\u0442\u0430\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c\/\u0432\u0441\u0442\u0430\u0442\u044c \u043d\u0430 \u043a\u043e\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438<\/b> (lit., “to stand onto<\/i> the knees,” with “knees” in the accusative), while “to be kneeling” can be \u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u043d\u0430 \u043a\u043e\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0430\u0445<\/b> (lit., “to be standing on the knees,” with “knees” in the prepositional).<\/p>\n

Below the knee, we’ve got the boney “shin”, which in Russian is \u0433\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u0435\u043d\u044c<\/b> (fem.<\/i>). But “calf” as in the fleshy back part of the lower leg is \u0438\u043a\u0440\u0430<\/span><\/b> (nom. pl.<\/i> \u0438<\/span>\u043a\u0440\u044b<\/b>) — which, for some baffling reason, is the same as the word for “caviar”!<\/p>\n

And, at last, we come to the foot. The “footbone’s connected to the shinbone” via the “ankle,” which has two Russian translations: either \u043b\u043e\u0434\u044b<\/span>\u0436\u043a\u0430<\/b> or \u0449\u0438<\/span>\u043a\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0442\u043a\u0430<\/b>, take your pick. And the “foot” itself — the part that goes into a shoe — is the \u0441\u0442\u043e\u043f\u0430<\/span><\/b>.<\/p>\n

P.S.<\/strong> That mostly covers it for the human body, but there are a few other terms that are different for non-human creatures. For example, the long-nosed face of a horse or a cat or a hamster is properly called a \u043c\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u0434\u0430<\/b> (“muzzle”). Using this word for people (instead of \u043b\u0438\u0446\u043e<\/span><\/b>) creates a humorous or slangy effect: \u042f \u0435\u0433\u043e<\/span> \u0443\u0434\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u0438\u043b \u043f\u043e \u043c\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u0434\u0435<\/b>, “I punched him in the kisser.”<\/p>\n

Similarly, \u0431\u0440\u044e<\/span>\u0445\u043e<\/b> is the normal, polite word for the “abdomen” of an animal. But when you use this word for humans (instead of the usual \u0436\u0438\u0432\u043e<\/span>\u0442<\/b>), the meaning is more like “potbelly” or “big beer-gut”!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

When you first begin studying Russian, one of the things they tell you is that \u0440\u0443\u043a\u0430 can be translated as either “hand” or “arm” — and similarly, \u043d\u043e\u0433\u0430 can mean either “foot” or “leg.” Well, that’s pretty darn convenient for the beginning student, with fewer new words to memorize! But wait — what if you…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":94,"featured_media":3565,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[8,7828],"tags":[117610,117482,385640,1237,8206,250249],"class_list":["post-3535","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-language","category-russian-for-beginners","tag-human-body","tag-russian-declensions","tag-russian-for-beginners","tag-russian-grammar","tag-russian-nouns","tag-thematic-vocabulary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t