俄 (é) - Russia & Russian

俄Tone 2

é ｜ 9 strokes ｜ radical:

丁恩

俄 · é

Russia;

Russian;

suddenly, momentarily;

leaning, inclined

RussiaRussiansuddenly, momentarily

Usage highlights

RussiaRussian languageRussianSinoRussian FederationRussian literature

Synonyms

  • 俄罗斯— Russia (full name)
  • 突然— suddenly (for the temporal meaning)

Antonyms

  • 持久— lasting, enduring (antonym to the 'sudden' meaning)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • I am studying Russian (俄语).
  • He traveled to Russia (俄罗斯).
  • The situation changed suddenly (俄而).
  • Russian literature (俄国文学) is profound.

Collocations

  • Russia(俄罗斯)
  • Russian language(俄语)
  • Russian(俄国人)
  • Sino-Russian(中俄)
  • Russian Federation(俄罗斯联邦)
  • Russian-Chinese(俄中)

Idioms

  • White Russian(白俄)
  • Soviet Russia(苏俄)
  • Tsarist Russia(沙俄)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Used as the standard Chinese abbreviation for Russia and things Russian since the Qing dynasty.
  • Originally meant 'sudden' or 'momentary' in classical Chinese, derived from 'leaning' or 'inclined'.
  • The character combines 人 (person) and 我 (I), suggesting 'a person leaning toward me' or 'sudden appearance'.

FAQ