Russian Proverbs and Sayings

This page continues the alphabetical list of Russian proverbs and sayings along with their English versions and literal translations.

А Б В Г Д Е Ё Ж З И Й К Л M Н О П Р С Т У Ф Х Ц Ч Ш Щ Ь Ы Ъ Э Ю Я

Russian proverbs: ц-ч                             14 of 15 | < Prev   Next >

- Ц -
Це́рковь бли́зко, да идти́ скли́зко, каба́к далеко́, да идти́ легко́.
                                              

 Literal: Church is close, but the road is slippery, pub is far, but the road is easy.
Цыпля́т по о́сени счита́ют.Don't count your chicken before they are hatched.
 Literal: One should count chicks in autumn.

- Ч -
Чай пить -- не дрова́ руби́ть.
                                              

 Literal: Drinking tea is unlike chopping firewood.
Час о́т часу не ле́гче.One bad thing on the top of another.
 Literal: It is not getting easier by an hour.
Челове́к предполага́ет, а Бог располага́ет.Man proposes, but God disposes.
Человека узнаешь, когда с ним пуд соли съешь.Before you make a friend, eat a bushel of salt with him.
Чем бога́ты, тем и ра́ды.Half a loaf is better then none
 Literal: We are glad to have what we have.
Чем больше имеешь, тем большего хочется.The more you have, the more you want.
Чем бы дит́я ни те́шилось, ли́шь бы не пла́кало.
 Literal: It doesn't matter what the kid plays with as long as he doesn't cry.
Чем да́льше в лес, тем бо́льше дров.
 Literal: The further into the woods, the more firewood you'll encounter.
Че́м чёрт не шу́тит.Who knows?
 Literal: In what ways the devil doesn't joke!
Чему́ быть, того́ не минова́ть.What must be, must be.
 Literal: What is to be, can't be avoided.
Чёрного ко́беля не отмо́ешь до́бела.The leopard cannot change his spots; You cannot wash charcoal white.
 Literal: One can't wash the black dog all the way to whiteness.
Чесно́к и лук -- от семи неду́г.
 Literal: Garlic and onions cure seven diseases.
Чтение для ума -- что гимнастика для тела.Reading is to the mind what exercise to the body.
Что бы́ло, то прошло́.Things past cannot be recalled.
 Literal: What used to be - is now gone.
Что в лоб, что по́ лбу.Six of one, and half a dozen the other.
Что в сердце варится, то в лице не утаится.Eyes are the mirror of a heart.
Что за шум, а дра́ки нет?
 Literal: Why the noise, if there's no fight?
Что име́ем -- не храни́м, потеря́вши -- пла́чем.We do not care of what we have, but we cry when it is lost.
 Literal: What we own, we don't safekeep properly; when we lose it, we cry.
Что напи́сано перо́м -- не вы́рубить топоро́м.Never write what you dare not sign.
 Literal: What was written by a pen, cannot be taken out with an axe.
Что ни город, то и норов.So many countries, so many customs.
 Literal: Another city -- another temper.
Что ни город, то норов, что ни деревня, то обычай.So many countries, so many customs.
 Literal: Another city -- another temper, another village -- another custom.
Что ни го́род, то но́ров.So many countries, so many customs.
 Literal: Another city -- another temper.
Что ни сде́лает дура́к -- все он сде́лает не так.
 Literal: Whatever a fool makes, he will make it wrong.
Что пнём об сову́, что сово́й об пень.Have you any idea how much damage that bulldozer would suffer if I just let it roll straight over you?
 Literal: Whether you hit an owl with a stump, or a stump with an owl.
Что посе́ешь, то и пожнёшь.As a man sows, so shall he reap.
 Literal: What you plant, that you will harvest.
Что ру́сскому здо́рово, то не́мцу сме́рть.One man's meat is another man's poison.
 Literal: What is good to a Russian, is death for a German.
Что с во́зу упа́ло, то пропа́ло.What is lost is lost.
 Literal: What fell off the cart, is as good as gone.
Что сходит с рук ворам, за то воришек бьют. (И.А.Крылов)Little thieves are hanged, but great ones escape.
Что у тре́звого на уме́, то у пья́ного на языке́.A drunk mans' words are a sober mans' thoughts.
 Literal: What's on sober's mind, is on drunk's tongue.
Чу́ет ко́шка, чьё мя́со съе́ла.Guilt betrays itself.
 Literal: Cat knows whose meat it has eaten.
Чужа́я душа́ -- потёмки.The human heart is a mistery.
 Literal: Other person's soul is in darkness.
Чужу́ю беду́ рука́ми разведу́, а к свое́й ума́ не приложу́.
 Literal: I can push others' problem away with my hands, but can't put my own mind to my own one.
Чья́ бы коро́ва мыча́ла, а твоя́ бы молча́ла.The pot calls kettle black.
 Literal: Others' cow could moo, but yours should better stay silent.

                                                           14 of 15 | < Prev   Next >

Index of Russian proverbs and sayings

  1. Russian proverbs and sayings: а-б
  2. Russian proverbs and sayings: в
  3. Russian proverbs and sayings: г
  4. Russian proverbs and sayings: д
  5. Russian proverbs and sayings: е-з
  6. Russian proverbs and sayings: и-к
  7. Russian proverbs and sayings: л-м
  8. Russian proverbs and sayings: н
  9. Russian proverbs and sayings: о
  10. Russian proverbs and sayings: п
  11. Russian proverbs and sayings: р-с
  12. Russian proverbs and sayings: т-у
  13. Russian proverbs and sayings: ф-х
  14. Russian proverbs and sayings: ц-ч
  15. Russian proverbs and sayings: ш-я

Got questions?

Ask them in the Russian Questions and Answers — a place for students, teachers and native Russian speakers to discuss Russian grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and other aspects of the Russian language.













Copyright 2001-2024 MasterRussian.com | Privacy Policy | Contact Us


 Search MasterRussian

Custom Search

English » Russian dictionary



Like MasterRussian on Facebook


WORD OF THE DAY
 RSS | iGoogle | My Yahoo!

Word: система
Meaning: system, frame, method
Pronunciation: [sees-TYEH-mah]
Learn Russian words more... »




TODAY'S STREET SIGN



Russian: Кулинария
English: Cookery


FOLLOW US ON TWITTER


MasterRussian on Twitter