?????¶?‘?»?‹??: heavy, difficult, oppressive, depressed
?????¶?‘?»?‹?? (heavy), like its antonym ?»?‘???????? (light), is more than just a description of weight. It also refers to a variety of difficult, depressing, or oppressive qualities — you know, stuff that is, like, heavy, man.
It can describe something that weighs a lot, like ?‚???¶?‘?»?‹?? ?‡?µ???????°?? (a heavy suitcase), the bane of my existence when I am traveling. It might also be used to describe something that doesn't weigh a lot, but more than expected — like the small traveling purse that I pack to the brim with electronics and books.
This ???°???????°?? ?????????‡???° (ladies' purse) may look like it's only filled with lipstick and lace hankies, but when porters try to pick it up, they exclaim: ???„! ?????¶?‘?»?°??! ?§?‚?? ?? ???°?? ?? ?????????µ — ?????€?????‡??? (Yikes! That's heavy. What have you got in your bag — bricks?)
?????¶?‘?»?‹?? can also be used to describe thick cloth, like ?‚???¶?‘?»?‹?µ ???‚???€?‹ (heavy curtains), or something that gives the impression of weight, like ?‚???¶?‘?»?‹?µ ?‚???‡?? (thick clouds). On gloomy days, Russians perceive the sky to hang low, which may be technically impossible but is very expressive as ?‚???¶?‘?»???µ ?????·?????µ ???µ?±?? (literally, "heavy, low-hanging sky").
Low ceilings can also be heavy in Russian, as if they pressed down on the inhabitants: ?????? ?¶???»?? ?? ???‚?°?€???? ???????µ ?? ?‚???¶?‘?»?‹???? ?????·???????? ?????‚???»???°???? (They lived in an old house with oppressive low ceilings).
Greasy or rich food can also be on the heavy side: ???????»?µ ?‚???¶?‘?»?????? ???±?µ???° ?? ?…???‚?µ?»?° ?????»?µ?¶?°?‚?? (I wanted to lie down for a while after the heavy noon-day meal).
People, creatures and other objects can be ?‚???¶?‘?»?‹?µ in several senses. Most commonly, ?‚???¶?‘?»?‹?? refers to people who are unsociable, depressed, or argumentative and therefore difficult to get along with. ?–?µ???° — ???‡?µ???? ?‚???¶?‘?»?‹?? ?‡?µ?»?????µ??, ?? ?±?µ?€?µ???µ?????????‚?? ?????µ?»?°?»?° ?µ?‘ ?????????µ?? ???µ???‹?????????????? (My wife is, in general, a very difficult person, and when she got pregnant, she became completely unbearable).
When used to describe an audience, ?‚???¶?‘?»?‹?? means difficult in the sense of impossible to engage, easily distracted or hard to keep under control. In American English, ?‚???¶?‘?»?°?? ?°???????‚???€???? in the theater is a tough crowd. In school, ?‚???¶?‘?»?‹?? ???»?°???? might be an unruly class.
?????¶?‘?»?‹?? can also be a synonym for ?±???»???????? (massive), so you might come across a ?‚???¶?‘?»?°?? ?????±?°???° (huge dog). It can also have the sense of being clumsy, so you might hear about ?‚???¶?‘?»?‹?? ?????¶???? (lumbering hulk). ?????¶?‘?»?‹?µ ?‡?µ?€?‚?‹ ?»???†?° are gross features.
When used to describe the arts, ?‚???¶?‘?»?‹?? usually refers to a style that is obtuse, convoluted, or otherwise difficult. The writer with ?‚???¶?‘?»?‹?? ???·?‹?? (ponderous writing style) is not someone you take along for vacation beach reading.
But there are also heavy calques from English. ?????¶?‘?»?‹?? ?€???? (hard rock) may be hard to listen to, but it's not Wagner.
And then ?‚???¶?‘?»?‹?? can be used to describe anything that causes difficulty, emotional or physical suffering, such as ?‚???¶?‘?»?°?? ?±???»?µ?·???? (serious illness).
Or the aftermath of a natural disaster: ?????¶?‘?»?‹?µ ???????»?µ?????‚?????? ?????¶?°?€???? ?±???????‚ ?????»???? ???‰???‰?°?‚?????? (The dire consequences of the fires will be felt for a long time). Or a hard day with the kids: ?????¶?‘?»?‹?? ???µ????! (What a rough day!)
Thinking about your ?‚???¶?‘?»?‹?µ ???µ?‚?? (ill-behaved children), you can sigh: ?? ???µ???? ?‚???¶?µ?»?? ???° ???????µ (I'm heart sick; literally, "it's heavy on my soul.")
But your friend will say: ???µ ?????‹???°??! ???‚?°???µ?‚ ?»?µ???‡?µ! (Lighten up! Things will get easier!)
Or at least your kids will get older.
Michele A. Berdy, a Moscow-based translator and interpreter, is author of "The Russian Word's Worth" (Glas), a collection of her columns.
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