{"id":4489,"date":"2013-02-15T08:00:51","date_gmt":"2013-02-15T08:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=4489"},"modified":"2014-07-17T19:17:33","modified_gmt":"2014-07-17T19:17:33","slug":"cards-and-women-but-mostly-cards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/cards-and-women-but-mostly-cards\/","title":{"rendered":"Cards and Women, but Mostly Cards"},"content":{"rendered":"

 <\/p>\n

Well, the Valentine\u2019s Day is over and done with. But if you are following Russian calendar, you know there are two more holidays coming up that give men a perfect excuse \u043f\u043e\u0433\u0443\u0441\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u0438\u0442\u044c<\/strong>. \u0413\u0443\u0441\u0430<\/span>\u0440, \u0433\u0443\u0441\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e<\/strong>, and \u0433\u0443\u0441\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u0438\u0442\u044c<\/strong> are the words that are low on the priority list of most language learners. Which is surprising since these words are very important for understanding Russian literary genres ranging from classical novel to dirty jokes.<\/p>\n

In fact, many Russian dirty jokes about \u0433\u0443\u0441\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u044b<\/strong> rely on the characters from classical novels, such as this one:<\/p>\n

\u0413\u043e\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u044f\u0441\u044c \u043a \u0431\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u0443, \u041d\u0430\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u0448\u0430 \u0420\u043e\u0441\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u0430 \u0440\u0430\u0441\u0441\u0442\u0430\u0432\u043b\u044f<\/span>\u0435\u0442 \u0441\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0447\u0438 \u043f\u043e \u043f\u043e\u0434\u0441\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0447\u043d\u0438\u043a\u0430\u043c. \u0423 \u043d\u0435\u0451 \u043e\u0441\u0442\u0430\u0451\u0442\u0441\u044f \u043e\u0434\u043d\u0430<\/span> \u0441\u0432\u0435\u0447\u0430<\/span>. \u041e\u043d\u0430<\/span> \u0441\u043f\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0448\u0438\u0432\u0430\u0435\u0442: \u201c\u0410 \u043a\u0443\u0434\u0430<\/span> \u043c\u043d\u0435 \u044d<\/span>\u0442\u0443 \u0432\u0441\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u0432\u0438\u0442\u044c?\u201d \u041f\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0436\u0434\u0435 \u0447\u0435\u043c \u043a\u0442\u043e<\/span>-\u043b\u0438\u0431\u043e \u043f\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0431\u0443\u0435\u0442 \u043e\u0442\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u0438\u0442\u044c, \u043f\u043e\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0447\u0438\u043a \u0420\u0436\u0435<\/span>\u0432\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439 \u043e\u0440\u0451\u0442: \u201c\u0413\u0443\u0441\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u044b, \u043c\u043e\u043b\u0447\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c! \u041d\u0438 \u0441\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u0430 \u043e \u043f\u0438***.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Getting ready for a ball, Natasha Rostova (from War and Peace) is putting candles into candle-holders. She is left with one candle. She asks: \u201cWhere should I put this one?\u201d Before anyone can answer, Lieutenant Rzhevskiy (a\u00a0bawdy\u00a0hussar) yells: \u201cSilence, hussars! Not a word about cu…\u201d (what follows is the Russian obscenity that describes a detail of female anatomy).<\/em><\/p>\n

So, \u0433\u0443\u0441\u0430<\/span>\u0440<\/strong> is hussar and the plural form is \u0433\u0443\u0441\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u044b<\/strong> (hussars). The verb \u0433\u0443\u0441\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u0438\u0442\u044c<\/strong> means to behave like a hussar. Originally, it meant \u043f\u0440\u043e\u044f\u0432\u043b\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u0443<\/span>\u0434\u0430\u043b\u044c<\/strong> (to act boldly and daringly), be dashing, in both one\u2019s deeds and looks. Hence the famous phrase \u0425\u043e<\/span>\u0447\u0435\u0448\u044c \u0431\u044b\u0442\u044c \u043a\u0440\u0430\u0441\u0438<\/span>\u0432\u044b\u043c, \u043f\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0443\u043f\u0438<\/span> \u0432 \u0433\u0443\u0441\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u044b<\/strong> (If you want to be handsome, join the hussars).<\/p>\n

Interestingly, the noun \u0433\u0443\u0441\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e<\/strong> which used to just mean \u201cto be a hussar\u201d, now describes the dark side of \u201cacting like a hussar\u201d, namely \u0431\u0435\u0441\u0448\u0430\u0431\u0430<\/span>\u0448\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044c<\/strong> (recklessness) and \u0431\u0435\u0437\u0440\u0430\u0441\u0441\u0443<\/span>\u0434\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e<\/strong> (heedlessness).<\/p>\n

If you read Russian classics, you get the picture of a hussar\u2019s life consisting of bouts of drinking with other hussars, seducing women, and losing fortunes (and sometimes women) in card games. That and fighting bravely and valorously whenever they were called to duty.<\/p>\n

Since the seducing part was taken care of in the Valentine\u2019s Day post<\/a> and drinking <\/a>was covered a while ago (remember – hussars preferred\u00a0Campaign\u00a0and drank it \u0438\u0437 \u0433\u043e\u0440\u043b\u0430<\/span><\/strong> (straight out of a bottle)), let\u2019s turn our attention to cards.<\/p>\n

Some hussars, it seems, were \u0437\u0430\u044f<\/span>\u0434\u043b\u044b\u0435 \u043a\u0430\u0440\u0442\u0451<\/span>\u0436\u043d\u0438\u043a\u0438<\/strong> (inveterate card players). While a few, undoubtedly, \u0432\u044b\u0438<\/span>\u0433\u0440\u044b\u0432\u0430\u043b\u0438 \u0432 \u043a\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u0442\u044b<\/strong> (won card games), hussars were more infamous for their staggering \u043f\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0438\u0433\u0440\u044b\u0448\u0438<\/strong> (losses). There were stories of hussars who \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0434\u0443\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u0432 \u043a\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u0442\u044b \u0446\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u044b\u0435 \u0441\u043e\u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u044f<\/strong> (blew their entire estates in card games). Hopefully this won\u2019t happen next time you sit down to play \u201cGo fish\u201d, but if it does, console yourself with hussars\u2019 wisdom: \u041d\u0435 \u0432\u0435\u0437\u0451\u0442 \u0432 \u043a\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u0442\u0430\u0445, \u043f\u043e\u0432\u0435\u0437\u0451\u0442 \u0432 \u043b\u044e\u0431\u0432\u0438<\/span><\/strong> (unlucky in cards means lucky in love).<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s learn some of the cards-related words:<\/p>\n

First of all, to play cards you need \u043a\u043e\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u0430 \u043a\u0430\u0440\u0442<\/strong> (a deck of cards), a clean one, of course since \u043c\u0435<\/span>\u0447\u0435\u043d\u0430\u044f \u043a\u043e\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u0430<\/strong> (marked deck) leads to \u043f\u043e\u0434\u043c\u043e<\/span>\u0447\u0435\u043d\u043d\u0430\u044f \u0440\u0435\u043f\u0443\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u0446\u0438\u044f<\/strong> (tarnished reputation) and possible accusation of being \u043a\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u0442\u043e\u0447\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u0448\u0443<\/span>\u043b\u0435\u0440<\/strong> (a card-sharper),<\/p>\n

Each \u043a\u043e\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u0430<\/strong> (a deck) has cards of four \u043c\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u0438<\/strong> (suits) – \u043f\u0438<\/span>\u043a\u0438<\/strong> (spades), \u0442\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0444\u044b<\/strong> or \u043a\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u0438<\/strong> (clubs), \u0431\u0443<\/span>\u0431\u043d\u044b<\/strong> (diamonds) and \u0447\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0432\u044b<\/strong> (hearts).<\/p>\n

A \u043f\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u043d\u0430\u044f \u043a\u043e\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u0430<\/strong> (full deck) has 54 cards. First go the number cards – \u0434\u0432\u043e<\/span>\u0439\u043a\u0430<\/strong> (twos), \u0442\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0439\u043a\u0430<\/strong> (threes), \u0447\u0435\u0442\u0432\u0451<\/span>\u0440\u043a\u0430<\/strong> (fours), \u043f\u044f\u0442\u0451<\/span>\u0440\u043a\u0430<\/strong> (fives), \u0448\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0451<\/span>\u0440\u043a\u0430<\/strong> (sixes), \u0441\u0435\u043c\u0451<\/span>\u0440\u043a\u0430<\/strong> (sevens), \u0432\u043e\u0441\u044c\u043c\u0451<\/span>\u0440\u043a\u0430<\/strong> (eights), \u0434\u0435\u0432\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u043a\u0430<\/strong> (nines), \u0434\u0435\u0441\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u043a\u0430<\/strong> (tens). All are pretty unremarkable except for \u0448\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0451<\/span>\u0440\u043a\u0430<\/strong> (sixes). \u0411\u044b\u0442\u044c \u0448\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0451\u0440\u043a\u043e\u0439<\/strong> means to be a \u201cgofer\u201d or \u043c\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u0447\u0438\u043a \u043d\u0430 \u043f\u043e\u0431\u0435\u0433\u0443<\/span>\u0448\u043a\u0430\u0445<\/strong> (an errand boy). It is a term of disrespect.<\/p>\n

Next we have face cards – \u0432\u0430\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u0442<\/strong> (jack), \u0434\u0430<\/span>\u043c\u0430<\/strong> (queen), \u043a\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u044c<\/strong> (king) and \u0442\u0443\u0437<\/strong> (ace). You might be familiar with a classic story \u041f\u0438<\/span>\u043a\u043e\u0432\u0430\u044f \u0434\u0430<\/span>\u043c\u0430<\/strong> (The Queen of Spades) by Alexander Pushkin (yes, he is everywhere, this guy). Plus there are two \u0434\u0436\u043e<\/span>\u043a\u0435\u0440\u044b<\/strong> (jokers), sometimes referred to as \u0448\u0443\u0442\u044b<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

In a short deck there are only 36 cards because it starts with the sixes and no jokers are used. This is a deck used in many Russian card games, such as \u043f\u044c\u044f<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0446\u0430<\/strong> (Drunkard) and \u0434\u0443\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u043a<\/strong> (Fool). In these games, sixes is the lowest card in the deck which explains \u201cto be a sixes card\u201d slang usage.<\/p>\n

Whether you play a full deck or a short deck, most card games call for one of the suits to be \u043a\u043e<\/span>\u0437\u044b\u0440\u044c<\/strong> (trump) in the game. Then each card \u044d<\/span>\u0442\u043e\u0439 \u043c\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u0438<\/strong> (of this suit) is \u043a\u043e\u0437\u044b\u0440\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u044f \u043a\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u0442\u0430<\/strong> (a trump card). By the way, the expression \u043a\u043e\u0437\u044b\u0440\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u044f \u043a\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u0442\u0430<\/strong> (a trump card) is used quite often outside of the card games as in<\/p>\n

\u041d\u0430\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u0447\u0438\u0435 \u0430\u043b\u044c\u0442\u0435\u0440\u043d\u0430\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0432 – \u043a\u043e\u0437\u044b\u0440\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u044f \u043a\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u0442\u0430 \u0432 \u0432\u0435\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0438 \u043f\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0433\u043e\u0432\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u043e\u0432<\/strong> (Having alternatives is a bargaining chip in negotiations).<\/p>\n

If, during your turn, you put down a trump card, it\u2019s called \u043a\u043e\u0437\u044b\u0440\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u044c<\/strong>. The verb \u043a\u043e\u0437\u044b\u0440\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u044c<\/strong> has two other meanings. The first one is \u043e\u0442\u0434\u0430\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u0447\u0435\u0441\u0442\u044c<\/strong> (to render a salute) by raising one\u2019s right hand to the rim of the headgear or\u00a0\u043a\u043e\u0437\u044b\u0440\u0451\u043a<\/strong>. Yes, headgear is a must since \u043a \u043f\u0443\u0441\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0439 \u0433\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0435<\/span> \u0440\u0443<\/span>\u043a\u0443 \u043d\u0435 \u043f\u0440\u0438\u043a\u043b\u0430<\/span>\u0434\u044b\u0432\u0430\u044e\u0442<\/strong> (do not bring one\u2019s hand to an empty head).<\/p>\n

The other meaning of the verb \u043a\u043e\u0437\u044b\u0440\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u044c<\/strong> is \u201cto brag\u201d \u00a0or “to show off” as in<\/p>\n

\u0412\u044b<\/span>\u043b\u043e\u0436\u0438\u0432 \u043f\u043e\u0441\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u0434\u043d\u0438\u0439, \u043a\u043e\u0437\u044b\u0440\u043d\u043e<\/span>\u0439, \u0442\u0443\u0437, \u0420\u0436\u0435<\/span>\u0432\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439 \u0432\u0441\u0442\u0430\u043b \u0438\u0437-\u0437\u0430 \u0441\u0442\u043e\u043b\u0430<\/span>, \u043a\u043e\u0437\u044b\u0440\u043d\u0443<\/span>\u043b \u043a\u0430\u043f\u0438\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0443 \u0438, \u0432\u0437\u044f\u0432 \u041d\u0430\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u0448\u0443 \u043f\u043e\u0434 \u0440\u0443<\/span>\u043a\u0443, \u043f\u043e\u0432\u0451\u043b \u0435\u0451 \u0432 \u0441\u043f\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044e, \u043a\u043e\u0437\u044b\u0440\u044f<\/span>\u044f \u043d\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u044b\u043c, \u0441 \u0438\u0433\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u043e\u0447\u043a\u0438, \u043c\u0443\u043d\u0434\u0438<\/span>\u0440\u043e\u043c.<\/strong>
\n(After putting the last, trump, ace down, Rzhevskiy got up from the table, saluted the Captain and, taking Natasha under the arm, lead her to the bedroom all the while showing off his brand new uniform).<\/p>\n

There, he played whist with her for a few hours and then… \u0433\u0443\u0441\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u044b, \u043c\u043e\u043b\u0447\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c<\/strong>!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Well, the Valentine\u2019s Day is over and done with. But if you are following Russian calendar, you know there are two more holidays coming up that give men a perfect excuse \u043f\u043e\u0433\u0443\u0441\u0430\u0440\u0438\u0442\u044c. \u0413\u0443\u0441\u0430\u0440, \u0433\u0443\u0441\u0430\u0440\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e, and \u0433\u0443\u0441\u0430\u0440\u0438\u0442\u044c are the words that are low on the priority list of most language learners. Which is surprising since…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[257572,257571,257569,9545,257570],"class_list":["post-4489","post","type-post","status-publish","hentry","category-language","tag-hussars","tag-russian-card-games","tag-russian-dirty-jokes","tag-russian-jokes","tag-war-and-peace-jokes"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4489","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\/39"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4489"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4489\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11236,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4489\/revisions\/11236"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4489"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4489"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4489"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}