History UsefulNotes / RussianProverbsAndExpressions

* ''Да нет, наверное'' (Da net, navernoye) - a phrase quite often used as an answer which a non-native speaker would most likely translate literally [[MindScrew "yes, no, perhaps"]] (due to the confusion of the "da", which means "well,..." in this case, with its homonym, meaning "yes"). Actually it should be translated "Well, I guess, not" and thus is a mild version of "no" with a touch of doubt.

** An English equivalent may be "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".

* ''С ума сошёл'' (S uma soshel) - literally "(he) stepped off his mind", used when someone does something stupid.

* ''С ума сошёл'' (S uma soshel) - literally "step off his mind", used when someone does something stupid.

* ''С ума сошёл'' (S uma soshel) - literally "step out of his mind", used when someone does something stupid.

* ''Лох не мамонт, лох не вымрет'' (Lokh ne mamont, lokh ne vymret) (Suckers aren't mammoths, they'll never be extinct) - it is the full analogue of the expression attributed to Barnum, "A sucker is born every minute". Attributed to the infamous con artist Sergey Mavrodi.

** On yet another side note, the Russian ethnic slur ''Чёрный'' (chornyi) or ''черножопый'' (chernozhopyi) ("black" and "black-ass") actually refers to people who come from or inhabit the Caucasus region (due to their darker complexion). So, in Russian, [[{{Irony}} "Caucasian" equals "black."]] It should be noted though that Georgians rarely get this treatment.

* ''Лучше иметь синицу в руках, чем журавлая в небе'' (Luchshe imet' sinitsu v rukakh, chem zhuravlya v nebe) - "It's better to have a titmouse in your hands than a crane in the sky". Instead of dreaming of something great, you should be happy with things you have. The English version is "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush."

* ''Бояре деруця, у холопов чубы трещат.'' (Boyare derutsya, u kholopov chuby treshchat.)- "[When] masters are fighting, [their] servants' forelocks are creaking." The common people suffer when powerful people fight.

* ''Любиш кататся, люби и саночки возить'' (Lyubish katat'sya, lyubi i sanochki vozit') - If you like sledging downhill, you must also enjoy sledging uphill - equals to "After dinner comes the reckoning" in its meaning.
* ''Лучшее враг хорошего'' (Luchshee vrag horoshego) - "The best is an enemy of the good" - trying for perfection instead of settling for "good enough" [[ExplosiveOverclocking can lead to a total mess]].

* ''Некултурний'' (nekulturniy) - translates as "uncultured", but has far stronger connotations in Russian. Such a person is likely to speak the [[UsefulNotes/RussianLanguage ''mat'' form of Russian]].

* ''Авос'' (Avos) - it is Russian for "[[Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack Never tell me the odds]]". Yes, only one word, because it's such an important part of national character.

* ''Ваше здорове'' (Vashe zdorovye!) or ''За здорове'' (Za zdorovye!) - a toast. The former version is standalone, the latter is used with the name of someone whom you wish health. Important: '''not''' ''наздорове!'' (nazdorovye), which is Russian for "You are welcome" on special occasions. The so-called toast "nazdorovye" is, most likely, a mix-up of "Za zdorovye" and the Polish toast "Na zdrowie".

* ''С ума сашел'' (S uma sashel) - literally "step out of his mind", used when someone does something stupid.
* ''Как два палца'' (Kak dva paltsa) (Like two fingers) - the full form is "easy as pissing on two fingers", can be used in male companies to tell that something is not hard at all. The [[GoshDangItToHeck minced]] version is ''Как два палца об асфалт'' (Kak dva paltsa ob asfalt) ("easy as hitting the tarmac with two fingers"), this can be used around women and children.
* ''Лох не мамонтб лох не вымрет'' (Lokh ne mamont, lokh ne vymret) (Suckers aren't mammoths, they'll never be extinct) - it is the full analogue of the expression attributed to Barnum, "A sucker is born every minute". Attributed to the infamous con artist Sergey Mavrodi.

* ''Бояре деруцяб у холопов чубы трещат.'' (Boyare derutsya, u kholopov chuby treshchat.)- "[When] masters are fighting, [their] servants' forelocks are creaking." The common people suffer when powerful people fight.
* ''Доверяйб но проверяй'' (Doveryay, no proveryay) "Trust, but verify". This was a favourite phrase of UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan, who [[{{Irony}} liked Russian proverbs]]. See him use it [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=As6y5eI01XE here]].

* ''Любиш кататсяб люби и саночки возить'' (Lyubish katat'sya, lyubi i sanochki vozit') - If you like sledging downhill, you must also enjoy sledging uphill - equals to "After dinner comes the reckoning" in its meaning.

** Though another variant of this proverb, ''От добра не ищут'' (Ot dobra dobra ne ischut) - [They] don't seek any more good from good things, is unambiguously interpreted as the former.

* ''Не было бы щастья, да нещастье помогло'' (Ne bylo by schast'ya, da neschast'ye pomoglo) - There wouldn't be fortune if only misfortune didn't help - said when one is blessed with fortune and gained something as a result of some previous ill luck.
* ''Не имей сто рублейб а имей сто друзей'' (Ne imei sto rublei, a imei sto druzei) Don't have hundred roubles, but have hundred friends - one should be more concerned with making friends instead of making money.

* ''Лучше иметь синицу в рукахб чем журавлая в небе'' (Luchshe imet' sinitsu v rukakh, chem zhuravlya v nebe) - "It's better to have a titmouse in your hands than a crane in the sky". Instead of dreaming of something great, you should be happy with things you have. The English version is "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush."
* ''Семь раз отмерь - один отреж'' (Sem' raz otmer' - odin otrezh) - Measure seven times, cut once - about how any action requires precise planning and accuracy.

* ''Некалтурний'' (nekulturniy) - translates as "uncultured", but has far stronger connotations in Russian. Such a person is likely to speak the [[UsefulNotes/RussianLanguage ''mat'' form of Russian]].

* ''Бояре деруцяб у холопов чубы трещат''(Boyare derutsya, u kholopov chuby treshchat)- "[When] masters are fighting, [their] servants' forelocks are creaking." The common people suffer when powerful people fight.

* ''Два медведя в одной берлоге не живут.''(Dva medvedya v odnoy berloge ne zhivut.) - "Two bears don't live in one lair". English version is simple: "This town ain't big enough for both of us".

* ''Одно другому не мешает''(Odno drugomu ne meshayet) - "The one doesn't get in the way of the other". It means doing or being more than one thing at a time, especially if said things are believed to be mutually exclusive (for example, being a [[UsefulNotes/TsaristRussia monarchist]] and a [[DirtyCommunists socialist]] at the same time; odno drugomu ne meshayet!). Often associated with GuiltyPleasures.
* ''Любиш кататсяб люби и саночки возить''(Lyubish katat'sya, lyubi i sanochki vozit') - If you like sledging downhill, you must also enjoy sledging uphill - equals to "After dinner comes the reckoning" in its meaning.
* ''Лучшее враг хорошего''(Luchshee vrag horoshego) - "The best is an enemy of the good" - trying for perfection instead of settling for "good enough" [[ExplosiveOverclocking can lead to a total mess]].

** Though another variant of this proverb, ''От добра не ищут''(Ot dobra dobra ne ischut) - [They] don't seek any more good from good things, is unambiguously interpreted as the former.

* ''Наш пострел везде поспел''(Nash postrel vezde pospel) - Our daring one has managed to go everywhere - said about people who always happen to be in the right place in the right time.
* ''Не было бы щастья, да нещастье помогло''(Ne bylo by schast'ya, da neschast'ye pomoglo) - There wouldn't be fortune if only misfortune didn't help - said when one is blessed with fortune and gained something as a result of some previous ill luck.

* ''Лучше иметь синицу в рукахб чем журавлая в небе''(Luchshe imet' sinitsu v rukakh, chem zhuravlya v nebe) - "It's better to have a titmouse in your hands than a crane in the sky". Instead of dreaming of something great, you should be happy with things you have. The English version is "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush."
* ''Семь раз отмерь - один отреж''(Sem' raz otmer' - odin otrezh) - Measure seven times, cut once - about how any action requires precise planning and accuracy.

* ''Муж и жена - одна сатана''(Muzh i zhena - odna satana) Husband and wife are one satan; latter added mostly for the sake of rhyme and is grammatically incorrect, using Satan in feminine, thus implying that it's not Satan himself mentioned, but some kind of quality - said about a family where husband and wife share a lot of personality traits, especially ones that can be envied.

* ''Кто рано встаёт тому Бог подаёт''(Kto rano vstayot tomu Bog podayot) - God gives to the early risers - same as English proverb about the early bird who gets the worm. Spanish has the very similar "A quien madruga Dios le ayuda". Also, there's (almost) word-for-word version of that proverb in Polish (''Kto rano wstaje, temu Pan Bóg daje'')
* ''Нашла коса на камень''(Nashla kosa na kamen') - A scythe hits a rock - about a nigh-unstoppable force that hit something that stopped it. Napoleon or Hitler vs Russia fits it well.

** Dark-skinned inhabitants of the Caucasus are also derogatorily called ''хачи''(khachi) (sing. ''хач'' khach or '''хачик' khachik). This is derived from an Armenian diminutive name Khachik, the full form being Khachatur.
* On the other hand, the word ''интеллигенция'' (intelligentsiya) has the opposite meaning: cultured, educated, sophisticated persons involved in creative or scholarly professions, in other words, [[GentlemanAndAScholar Gentlemen and Scholars]]. These are likely to speak classical Russian. Though some use this word to denote posers and use the word ''интеллектуалы''(intellektualy) for the real [[= McCoys=]]. Lenin, for instance, meant the posers when he said "Intelligentsia is the crap of the nation, not its brain".

* ''новые русские''(novyie russkie)- "new Russians", a [[TheNineties Nineties]] stereotype of rich people with personal drivers and bodyguards, who have come about as a result of UsefulNotes/TheNewRussia. Often depicted as unsophisticated and vulgar in taste, having a [[TheMafiya criminal]] past and showing off attributes of their wealth - a brick-sized mobile phone, a giant golden chain, a Mercedes S600 and a tailor-made crimson jacket. Now almost a DeadHorseTrope.

* ''мужик''(muzhik)- depending on context, this can mean "guy" (as in a man), the Russian equivalent to "dude", "He's ''the man''", a lower class person, or one with uncivil behaviour - the last two definitions were used more pre-1917. The term originally denoted a peasant.

** Perhaps a more direct translation of "dude" into Russian is ''чувак''(chuvak), which also comes with ''чувиха''(chuvikha) for "dudette". These two words are generally used by younger and trendier people, although in some circles these words have already joined the ranks of TotallyRadical, whereas ''muzhik'' is somewhat more traditional and working-class, sort of like the British usage of "lad" and "bloke".

* ''неформалы''(neformaly) - literally "informal", this word means a variety of various youth subcultures, from hippies to metalheads to punks to goths to Tolkienists. The word originates in the last years of the Soviet Union, when the western-style subcultures fought over their right to exist with the various ''гопники''(gopniki) GangBangers who disliked anything unusual and attacked the "informals" on sight.
* ''маскировка''(maskirovka)- a term literally meaning "concealment", it's often used in the UsefulNotes/RedsWithRockets context to refer to the entire spectrum of methods to confuse and deceive the enemy, "to achieve deception" as western militaries would say. The USSR (and the UsefulNotes/WarsawPact as well) would publish highly misleading maps, for example, for the "benefit" of invaders (and their own citzens) which would omit [[UsefulNotes/ClosedCities entire cities]], as well as naming military bases and installations after cities or geographic features...hundreds of kilometres away. Baikonur Cosmodrome is one of the most famous, to the point where its host city was renamed in 1995.

** ''ДМБ''(DMB) aka Demobilization, a grotesque film satire of the Russian army and conscription (essentially unchanged from Soviet times), had a middle-aged NCO lecture his newbie privates that, "While the Enemy is drawing up maps for the expected offensive, we are to constantly change the landscape - ''by hand'' - so that, once their forces land, utter confusion will set in and they will lose any and all battle readiness." He is absolutely serious. This mocks the army's constant paranoia, which, coupled with the desire to keep soldiers completely occupied 24/7 to keep them out of trouble, leads to a never-ending string of idiotic projects realized in the least labour-efficient way possible.
* ''Дембель''(Dembel'), ''ДМБ''(DMB), ''Демобилизатыя''(Demobilizatyja) - the process of leaving a mandatory military service. Is accompanied by a vast amount of rituals.
* ''Отсюда до обеда''(Otsyuda do obeda) or ''от забора до обеда''(ot zabora do obeda) - literally, "[dig] from this spot until lunchtime" or "[dig] from the fence to lunchtime". Comes from a joke about a Drill Sergeant training conscripts on manual trench-digging. Denotes an utterly meaningless activity or moronic busy-work; ironic, considering that this is a rare example of meaningful training in the Soviet Army.
* ''Это курам на смех''(Eto kuram na smekh) - literally "it's for chickens to laugh at", meaning "That's ridiculous!". Heard in [[Film/{{Serenity}} The Big Damn Movie]].
* ''Лапшу на уши вешать''(Lapshu na ushi veshat') - literally "hanging noodles on [someone's] ears" means lying, bluffing or deceiving someone. Turned into a LiteralMetaphor in an old Soviet short film where people are listening to a motivational speaker, oblivious to all the noodles hanging off their ears.
* ''Напугал ежа голой задницей''(Napugal ezha goloi zadnitsei) or ''гщлой жопой''(...goloi zhopoi) - literally "[you are] scaring a hedgehog with a bare ass", used to mock a threat as an idle one. Zaporozhian cossacks used variation of this when they tell Turkish sultan that he "can't ''kill'' a hedgehog with his bare ass"
* ''Авос''(Avos) - it is Russian for "[[Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack Never tell me the odds]]". Yes, only one word, because it's such an important part of national character.

* ''Ваше здорове''(Vashe zdorovye!) or ''За здорове''(Za zdorovye!) - a toast. The former version is standalone, the latter is used with the name of someone whom you wish health. Important: '''not''' ''наздорове!'' (nazdorovye), which is Russian for "You are welcome" on special occasions. The so-called toast "nazdorovye" is, most likely, a mix-up of "Za zdorovye" and the Polish toast "Na zdrowie".
* ''Да нет, наверное''(Da net, navernoye) - a phrase quite often used as an answer which a non-native speaker would most likely translate literally [[MindScrew "yes, no, perhaps"]] (due to the confusion of the "da", which means "well,..." in this case, with its homonym, meaning "yes"). Actually it should be translated "Well, I guess, not" and thus is a mild version of "no" with a touch of doubt.
* ''С ума сашел''(S uma sashel) - literally "step out of his mind", used when someone does something stupid.
* ''Как два палца''(Kak dva paltsa) (Like two fingers) - the full form is "easy as pissing on two fingers", can be used in male companies to tell that something is not hard at all. The [[GoshDangItToHeck minced]] version is ''Как два палца об асфалт''(Kak dva paltsa ob asfalt) ("easy as hitting the tarmac with two fingers"), this can be used around women and children.

* ''Delat' iz mukhi slona.'' ("To make an elephant from a fly.") The English would say mountain out of mole hill.

* ''Boyare derutsya, u kholopov chuby treshchat'' ("[When] masters are fighting, [their] servants' forelocks are creaking.") The common people suffer when powerful people fight.
* ''Doveryay, no proveryay'' "Trust, but verify". This was a favourite phrase of UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan, who [[{{Irony}} liked Russian proverbs]]. See him use it [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=As6y5eI01XE here]].
* ''Dva medvedya v odnoy berloge ne zhivut.'' ("Two bears don't live in one lair"). English version is simple: "This town ain't big enough for both of us".
* ''Povtoreniye - mat' ucheniya.'' ("Repetition is the Mother of Learning"). Practice makes perfect.

* ''Odno drugomu ne meshayet'' ("The one doesn't get in the way of the other"). It means doing or being more than one thing at a time, especially if said things are believed to be mutually exclusive (for example, being a [[UsefulNotes/TsaristRussia monarchist]] and a [[DirtyCommunists socialist]] at the same time; odno drugomu ne meshayet!). Often associated with GuiltyPleasures.
* ''Lyubish katat'sya, lyubi i sanochki vozit''' (If you like sledging downhill, you must also enjoy sledging uphill) - equals to "After dinner comes the reckoning" in its meaning.
* ''Luchshee vrag horoshego'' ("The best is an enemy of the good") - trying for perfection instead of settling for "good enough" [[ExplosiveOverclocking can lead to a total mess]].

** Though another variant of this proverb, ''Ot dobra dobra ne ischut'' (They don't seek any more good from good things) is unambiguously interpreted as the former.

** Historians of technology cite this to demonstrate that it is better, economically, to be satisfied with "good enough" instead of "perfect" becasue mass-produced items, although often inferior to their hand-made counterparts, will outsell them because the economy of scale means they can be produced, and thus sold, more cheaply.
* ''Nash postrel vezde pospel'' (Our daring one has managed to go everywhere) - said about people who always happen to be in the right place in the right time.
* ''Ne bylo by schast'ya, da neschast'ye pomoglo'' (There wouldn't be fortune if only misfortune didn't help) - said when one is blessed with fortune and gained something as a result of some previous ill luck.
* ''Ne imei sto rublei, a imei sto druzei'' (Don't have hundred roubles, but have hundred friends) - one should be more concerned with making friends instead of making money.

* ''Luchshe imet' sinitsu v rukakh, chem zhuravlya v nebe'' (It's better to have a titmouse in your hands than a crane in the sky). Instead of dreaming of something great, you should be happy with things you have. The English version is "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush."
* ''Sem' raz otmer' - odin otrezh'' (Measure seven times, cut once) - about how any action requires precise planning and accuracy.
* ''S milym raj i v shalashe'' (With my darling, it's heaven even in a hovel) - pretty self-explanatory.
* ''Ne na korovu igraesh'' (It's not a cow at stake) - used to console someone losing in a game.
* ''Bez truda ne vytaschish i rybku iz pruda'' (Without effort, one cannot even pull a fish out of the pond) - there's no way to get anything without hard work.
* ''Muzh i zhena - odna satana'' (Husband and wife are one satan; latter added mostly for the sake of rhyme and is grammatically incorrect, using Satan in feminine, thus implying that it's not Satan himself mentioned, but some kind of quality) - said about a family where husband and wife share a lot of personality traits, especially ones that can be envied.
* ''Akulya, shto shjesh ne ottulya? Tak ya esche, mamen'ka porot' budu'' (Akulina, why are you sewing in the wrong place? Mommy, I still have to tear that seam) - about deliberately doing some meaningless work knowing that it has to be undone or remade later.
* ''Kto rano vstayot tomu Bog podayot'' (God gives to the early risers) - same as English proverb about the early bird who gets the worm. Spanish has the very similar "A quien madruga Dios le ayuda". Also, there's (almost) word-for-word version of that proverb in Polish (''Kto rano wstaje, temu Pan Bóg daje'')
* ''Nashla kosa na kamen' '' (A scythe hits a rock) - about a nigh-unstoppable force that hit something that stopped it. Napoleon or Hitler vs Russia fits it well.

* ''nekulturniy'' - translates as "uncultured", but has far stronger connotations in Russian. Such a person is likely to speak the [[UsefulNotes/RussianLanguage ''mat'' form of Russian]].
** On a similar note, there's the very rude ''churka'', which literally translates as "a chunk of unworked wood", but means "outlander" or "barbarian" and is a derisive term for non-ethnic Russians, especially those from Central Asia because of the plural form's similarity to the word "turki" for Turkic people, which most of exUSSR Middle Asians belong to.
** On yet another side note, the Russian ethnic slur ''chornyi'' or ''chernozhopyi'' ("black" and "black-ass") actually refers to people who come from or inhabit the Caucasus region (due to their darker complexion). So, in Russian, [[{{Irony}} "Caucasian" equals "black."]] It should be noted though that Georgians rarely get this treatment.
** Dark-skinned inhabitants of the Caucasus are also derogatorily called ''khachi'' (sing. ''khach'' or ''khachik''). This is derived from an Armenian diminutive name Khachik, the full form being Khachatur.
* On the other hand, the word ''intelligentsiya'' has the opposite meaning: cultured, educated, sophisticated persons involved in creative or scholarly professions, in other words, [[GentlemanAndAScholar Gentlemen and Scholars]]. These are likely to speak classical Russian. Though some use this word to denote posers and use the word ''intellektualy'' for the real [[= McCoys=]]. Lenin, for instance, meant the posers when he said "Intelligentsia is the crap of the nation, not its brain".

* ''obrazovanets'', roughly translates as ''educationated person'' and is a term introduced or popularized by Alexandr Solzhenitsyn meaning someone who has formal education (usually a university graduate) but has very little actual knowledge; originally this term referred to graduates of 'political faculties' who were taught the communist ideology and not much more, now it usually refers to graduates of 'diploma printing shops' or people posing as ''intelligentsya'' with evident lack of actual knowledge or sometimes even basic education.
* ''novyie russkie''- "new Russians", a [[TheNineties Nineties]] stereotype of rich people with personal drivers and bodyguards, who have come about as a result of UsefulNotes/TheNewRussia. Often depicted as unsophisticated and vulgar in taste, having a [[TheMafiya criminal]] past and showing off attributes of their wealth - a brick-sized mobile phone, a giant golden chain, a Mercedes S600 and a tailor-made crimson jacket. Now almost a DeadHorseTrope.
* ''ran'she''- "earlier", the days of the Soviet Union. During the days of the Soviet Union, the word meant the days of Imperial Russia. See NostalgiaFilter.
* ''muzhik''- depending on context, this can mean "guy" (as in a man), the Russian equivalent to "dude", "He's ''the man''", a lower class person, or one with uncivil behaviour - the last two definitions were used more pre-1917. The term originally denoted a peasant.

** Perhaps a more direct translation of "dude" into Russian is ''chuvak'', which also comes with ''chuvikha'' for "dudette". These two words are generally used by younger and trendier people, although in some circles these words have already joined the ranks of TotallyRadical, whereas ''muzhik'' is somewhat more traditional and working-class, sort of like the British usage of "lad" and "bloke".

* ''neformaly'' - literally "informal", this word means a variety of various youth subcultures, from hippies to metalheads to punks to goths to Tolkienists. The word originates in the last years of the Soviet Union, when the western-style subcultures fought over their right to exist with the various ''gopniki'' GangBangers who disliked anything unusual and attacked the "informals" on sight.
* ''maskirovka''- a term literally meaning "concealment", it's often used in the UsefulNotes/RedsWithRockets context to refer to the entire spectrum of methods to confuse and decieve the enemy, "to achieve deception" as western militaries would say. The USSR (and the UsefulNotes/WarsawPact as well) would publish highly misleading maps, for example, for the "benefit" of invaders (and their own citzens) which would omit [[UsefulNotes/ClosedCities entire cities]], as well as naming military bases and installations after cities or geographic features...hundreds of kilometres away. Baikonur Cosmodrome is one of the most famous, to the point where its host city was renamed in 1995.

** ''DMB'' aka Demobilization, a grotesque film satire of the Russian army and conscription (essentially unchanged from Soviet times), had a middle-aged NCO lecture his newbie privates that, "While the Enemy is drawing up maps for the expected offensive, we are to constantly change the landscape - ''by hand'' - so that, once their forces land, utter confusion will set in and they will lose any and all battle readiness." He is absolutely serious. This mocks the army's constant paranoia, which, coupled with the desire to keep soldiers completely occupied 24/7 to keep them out of trouble, leads to a never-ending string of idiotic projects realized in the least labour-efficient way possible.
* ''Dembel' '', ''DMB'', ''Demobilizathyja'' - the process of leaving a mandatory military service. Is accompanied by a vast amount of rituals.
* ''Otsyuda do obeda'' or ''ot zabora do obeda'' - literally, "[dig] from this spot until lunchtime" or "[dig] from the fence to lunchtime". Comes from a joke about a Drill Sergeant training conscripts on manual trench-digging. Denotes an utterly meaningless activity or moronic busy-work; ironic, considering that this is a rare example of meaningful training in the Soviet Army.
* ''Eto kuram na smekh'' - literally "it's for chickens to laugh at", meaning "That's ridiculous!". Heard in [[Film/{{Serenity}} The Big Damn Movie]].
* ''Lapshu na ushi veshat'' - literally "hanging noodles on [someone's] ears" means lying, bluffing or deceiving someone. Turned into a LiteralMetaphor in an old Soviet short film where people are listening to a motivational speaker, oblivious to all the noodles hanging off their ears.
* ''Napugal ezha goloi zadnitsei'' or ''...goloi zhopoi'' - literally "[you are] scaring a hedgehog with a bare ass", used to mock a threat as an idle one. Zaporozhian cossacks used variation of this when they tell Turkish sultan that he "can't ''kill'' a hedgehog with his bare ass"
* ''Avos'' - it is Russian for "[[Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack Never tell me the odds]]". Yes, only one word, because it's such an important part of national character.

* ''Vashe zdorovye!'' or ''Za zdorovye!'' - a toast. The former version is standalone, the latter is used with the name of someone whom you wish health. Important: '''not''' ''nazdorovye!'', which is Russian for "You are welcome" on special occasions. The so-called toast "nazdorovye" is, most likely, a mix-up of "Za zdorovye" and the Polish toast "Na zdrowie".
* ''Da net, navernoye'' - a phrase quite often used as an answer which a non-native speaker would most likely translate literally [[MindScrew "yes, no, perhaps"]] (due to the confusion of the "da", which means "well,..." in this case, with its homonym, meaning "yes"). Actually it should be translated "Well, I guess, not" and thus is a mild version of "no" with a touch of doubt.
* ''S uma sashel'' - literally "step out of his mind", used when someone does something stupid.
* ''Kak dva paltsa'' (Like two fingers) - the full form is "easy as pissing on two fingers", can be used in male companies to tell that something is not hard at all. The [[GoshDangItToHeck minced]] version is ''Kak dva paltsa ob asfalt'' ("easy as hitting the tarmac with two fingers"), this can be used around women and children.
* ''Lokh ne mamont, lokh ne vymret'' (Suckers aren't mammoths, they'll never be extinct) - it is the full analogue of the expression attributed to Barnum, "A sucker is born every minute". Attributed to the infamous con artist Sergey Mavrodi.
* Related to the previous is the word ''Lokhotron'' (literally translated as Suckertron, 2000 optional). Means any form of scam or long con, but initially referred to fake lotteries and rigged gambling.

* ''Kto rano vstayot tomu Bog podayot'' (God gives to the early risers) - same as English proverb about the early bird who gets the worm. Spanish has the very similar "A quien madruga Dios le ayuda".

** On yet another side note, the Russian ethnic slur ''chornyi'' or ''chernozhopyi'' ("black" and "black-ass") actually refers to people who come from or inhabit the Caucasus region (due to their darker complexion). So, in Russian, [[{{Irony}} "Caucasian" equals "black."]]. It should be noted though that Georgians rarely get this treatment.

* ''S uma sashel'' - literally "step out of his mind", used when someone grab a firm hold of the {{Idiot Ball}}

* ''nekulturniy'' - translates as "uncultured", but has far stronger connotations in Russian. Such a person is likely to speak the [[RussianLanguage ''mat'' form of Russian]].

* ''maskirovka''- a term literally meaning "concealment", it's often used in the UsefulNotes/RedsWithRockets context to refer to the entire spectrum of methods to confuse and decieve the enemy, "to achieve deception" as western militaries would say. The USSR (and the WarsawPact as well) would publish highly misleading maps, for example, for the "benefit" of invaders (and their own citzens) which would omit [[UsefulNotes/ClosedCities entire cities]], as well as naming military bases and installations after cities or geographic features...hundreds of kilometres away. Baikonur Cosmodrome is one of the most famous, to the point where its host city was renamed in 1995.

* ''Kto rano vstayot tomu Bog podayot'' (God gives to the early risers) - same as English proverb about the early bird who gets the worm.

* ''Kak dva paltsa'' (Like two fingers) - the full form is "easy as pissing on two fingers", can be used in male companies to tell that something is not hard at all.

* ''Vashe zdorovye!'' or ''Za zdorovye!'' - a toast. The former version is standalone, the latter is used with the name of someone whom you wish health. Important: '''not''' ''nazdorovye!'', which is Russian for "You are welcome". The so-called toast "nazdorovye" is, most likely, a mix-up of "Za zdorovye" and the Polish toast "Na zdrowie".

* ''novyie russkie''- "new Russians", a [[TheNineties Nineties]] stereotype of rich people with personal drivers and bodyguards, who have come about as a result of TheNewRussia. Often depicted as unsophisticated and vulgar in taste, having a [[TheMafiya criminal]] past and showing off attributes of their wealth - a brick-sized mobile phone, a giant golden chain, a Mercedes S600 and a tailor-made crimson jacket. Now almost a DeadHorseTrope.

* ''maskirovka''- a term literally meaning "concealment", it's often used in the UsefulNotes/RedsWithRockets context. The USSR (and the WarsawPact as well) would publish highly misleading maps, for example, for the "benefit" of invaders (and their own citzens) which would omit [[UsefulNotes/ClosedCities entire cities]], as well as naming military bases and installations after cities or geographic features...hundreds of kilometres away. Baikonur Cosmodrome is one of the most famous, to the point where its host city was renamed in 1995.

* ''Odno drugomu ne meshayet'' ("The one doesn't get in the way of the other"). It means doing or being more than one thing at a time, especially if said things are believed to be mutually exclusive (for example, being a [[TsaristRussia monarchist]] and a [[DirtyCommunists socialist]] at the same time; odno drugomu ne meshayet!). Often associated with GuiltyPleasures.

* ''Napugal ezha goloi zadnitsei'' or ''...goloi zhopoi'' - literally "[you are] scaring a hedgehog with a bare ass", used to mock a threat as an idle one.

* ''Bare derutsya, u kholopov chuby treshchat'' ("[When] masters are fighting, [their] servants' forelocks are creaking.") The common people suffer when powerful people fight.

* ''Da net, navernoye'' - a phrase quite often used as an answer which a non-native speaker would most likely translate literally [[MindScrew "yes, no, perhaps"]]. Actually it should be translated "Well, I guess, not" and thus is a mild version of "no" with a touch of doubt.