Russian vocabulary Cold Winter

Russians enjoying a frozen Lake Baikal near Irkutsk in Siberia. Photo by SRAS Graduate Rylin McGee

Preparing for the Cold: Winter Wear as a Cultural Phenomenon in Russia

Published: September 14, 2023

Russia has famously cold winters. Russians, and the many other cultures that live across the Eurasian landmass (such as the Evenk and Sakha), have culturally adapted to this in order to survive there. This has affected traditional clothing and housing, but also cultural attitudes toward the weather. These attitudes are, in turn, often reflected in language. This article will explore these attitudes, linguistic expressions, and modern clothing trends among Russians. It will also present Russian vocabulary related to cold, clothing, and social standing shown by fashion.

The following bilingual Russian resource is meant to build your vocabulary by providing Russian phrases within English text.

Russian Sayings about Being Prepared for the Cold

The Russian language has developed some coping responses to the weather. Probably the most affirming of them is โ€œะฃ ะฟั€ะธั€ะพะดั‹ ะฝะตั‚ ะฟะปะพั…ะพะน ะฟะพะณะพะดั‹,โ€ which literally means โ€œNature doesnโ€™t have bad weather.โ€ This saying is used in the context that one should roll with the punches and that everything happens for a reason.

Also reassuring is โ€œะฒ ะทะธะผะฝะธะน ั…ะพะปะพะด ะฒััะบะธะน ะผะพะปะพะดโ€ meaning โ€œeveryone is young in winterโ€™s cold.โ€ Literally, it refers to the rosy cheeks caused by blood initially rushing to them to keep them warm.

There is also the more ominous โ€œะœะพั€ะพะท ะฝะต ะฒะตะปะธะบ, ะฝะพ ัั‚ะพัั‚ัŒ ะฝะต ะฒะตะปะธั‚โ€ meaning โ€œItโ€™s not tremendously cold, but we shouldnโ€™t stand in it.โ€ Perhaps ironically, it refers to being conscious of the same process that can affect the proverbial boiled frog. And, indeed, frostbite and hypothermia tend to come on slowly and can take their victims before they even know they are being taken.

Perhaps the saying most relevant to this article, however, is an English proverb that has been very well known in Russian translation for decades: โ€œะะตั‚ ะฟะปะพั…ะพะน ะฟะพะณะพะดั‹, ะตัั‚ัŒ ะฝะตะฟะพะดั…ะพะดัั‰ะฐั ะพะดะตะถะดะฐ.โ€ This literally means โ€œthere is no bad weather, only inappropriate clothing.โ€ It can be used poetically to express the virtues of always being prepared but usually means exactly what it says: if you dress appropriately, there is no weather you canโ€™t enjoy.

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The Timelessness of Fur in Russia

ะกะฐะผะพะต ั‚ะตะฟะปะพะต ะทะธะผะฝะตะต ะฟะฐะปัŒั‚ะพ (the warmest winter coat) has always been ัˆัƒะฑะฐ ะธะท ะฝะฐั‚ัƒั€ะฐะปัŒะฝะพะณะพ ะผะตั…ะฐ (a coat of natural fur). Fur coats have always been relatively common in Russia. Russiaโ€™s thick forests have historically been home to many animals that provide quality fur. The meat from these animals provided important sources of protein to most common households and their furs were worn or used as a common form of currency. Taxes or required tributes were often paid in furs, which the tsar could then trade on to Europe for other goods.

Russian vocabulary Cold Winter fur
The fur coat is much more common and much more affordable in Russia than in most other places in Europe or the US.

Today, fur coats are most often purchased rather than hunted and crafted. They are by far the most expensive coat option that Russians have. However, they are still very common and very popular in Russia. The anti-fur movement has made little headway in dissuading most Russians from what they consider a very practical and comfortable choice of clothing. Also, the fur coat is by far the most durable coat choice available. ะŸั€ะธ ะฟั€ะฐะฒะธะปัŒะฝะพะผ ัƒั…ะพะดะต ัˆัƒะฑะฐ ะผะพะถะตั‚ ะฝะพัะธั‚ัŒัั ะดะตััั‚ะธะปะตั‚ะธัะผะธ (If properly cared for, a fur coat can be worn for decades) โ€“ and it often is.

ะžะฑั€ะฐะท ะถะตะฝั‹, ั‚ั€ะตะฑัƒัŽั‰ะตะน ะพั‚ ะผัƒะถะฐ ัˆัƒะฑัƒ, ัˆะธั€ะพะบะพ ั€ะฐัะฟั€ะพัั‚ั€ะฐะฝะตะฝ ะฒ ั€ัƒััะบะพะน ะบัƒะปัŒั‚ัƒั€ะต (the image of a wife demanding a fur coat from her husband is a common one in Russian culture). ะจัƒะฑะฐ โ€“ ัะธะผะฒะพะป ัั‚ะฐั‚ัƒัะฐ (The fur coat is a status symbol) and one that is attainable by most middle-class Russians.

When choosing a material for a coat, some of the ัะฐะผั‹ะน ั‚ั‘ะฟะปั‹ะน ะผะตั…ย (warmest fur) is that of ะฑะพะฑะตั€ (beaver),ย ะฝะพั€ะบะฐ (mink), ัะพะฑะพะปัŒ (sable), and ะพะปะตะฝัŒ (deer). ะšะฐั‡ะตัั‚ะฒะพ ะผะตั…ะฐ (fur quality) can be assessed by ะฒัั‚ั€ัั…ะธะฒะฐั‚ัŒ ัˆัƒะฑัƒ (rustling the fur coat). You should be able to hear the ัˆัƒั€ัˆะฐะฝะธะต (rustling), distinctly. Another test is to ะปะตะณะพะฝัŒะบะพ ะดั‘ั€ะฝัƒั‚ัŒ ะทะฐ ัˆะตั€ัั‚ะธะฝะบัƒ (pluck lightly on a strand). ะ•ัะปะธ ะฒะพะปะพัะบะธ ะฝะต ะพั‚ั€ั‹ะฒะฐัŽั‚ัั (if no hair comes out), it means that the fur is of good quality.

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Military Roots and Social Derision of the โ€œCotton Coatsโ€

ะ—ะธะผะฝะตะต ะฟะฐะปัŒั‚ะพ, ะฝะฐะธะฑะพะปะตะต ะฐััะพั†ะธะธั€ัƒัŽั‰ะตะตัั ั ะฝะธะทัˆะธะผ ะบะปะฐััะพะผ ะปัŽะดะตะน โ€“ ัั‚ะพ ะฒะฐั‚ะฝะธะบ (the winter coat most associated with the lowest class of people is the โ€œvatnikโ€), which is a type of pleated, cotton-padded coat. Cotton is not as good an insulator as fur or down but is still effective. This coat is more formally known as โ€œั‚ะตะปะพะณั€ะตะนะบะฐโ€ (โ€œbodywarmerโ€). However, ะฒะฐั‚ะฝะธะบ, taken from the word ะฒะฐั‚ะฐ (cotton), is very commonly used.

This type of coat was used by the Byzantine Army in the 10th century and was likely adopted in Russia from the 11th-12th centuries, but then fell out of favor around the time of the Mongol invasion.

The coat was reintroduced during the Russo Japanese War in 1905. Poorly equipped Russian soldiers acquired them from the Chinese and found that, not only were they warm, but they also ัะปัƒะถะธะปะธ ะปะตะณะบะพะน ะฑั€ะพะฝะตะน ะฒ ั€ัƒะบะพะฟะฐัˆะฝะพะผ ะฑะพัŽ (provided light armor in hand-to-hand combat), with the soft cotton providing padding against blows and the thick material providing protection even from knife attacks. In addition, the coat is loose and ะพะฑะตัะฟะตั‡ะธะฒะฐะตั‚ ะฝะตะพะณั€ะฐะฝะธั‡ะตะฝะฝัƒัŽ ัะฒะพะฑะพะดัƒ ะดะฒะธะถะตะฝะธะน ะฒะปะฐะดะตะปัŒั†ะฐ (provides unrestricted movement to the wearer). This was all part of the original Byzantine purpose of the coats โ€“ and may be why military investment in them ended with the Mongols โ€“ as the coats are completely ineffective against arrows, the Mongolโ€™s primary weapons.

The jackets were used in the First World War and the Civil War but ะฟะฐะปัŒั‚ะพ ะฑั‹ะปะธ ัั‚ะฐะฝะดะฐั€ั‚ะธะทะธั€ะพะฒะฐะฝั‹ ะธ ะผะฐััะพะฒะพ ะฟั€ะพะธะทะฒะพะดะธะปะธััŒ (the coats were standardized and mass produced) only starting in 1933. ะะฐั€ะพะดะฝะพะณะพ ะบะพะผะธััะฐั€ะธะฐั‚ะฐ ะปะตะณะบะพะน ะฟั€ะพะผั‹ัˆะปะตะฝะฝะพัั‚ะธ ะกะกะกะ  (The Peopleโ€™s Commissariat of Light Industry) issued a decree that they would be manufactured as ะบัƒั€ั‚ะบะฐ ะฒะฐั‚ะฝะฐั ะพะดะฝะพะฑะพั€ั‚ะฝะฐั, ะฟั€ัะผะพะณะพ ะฟะพะบั€ะพั, ะทะฐัั‚ั‘ะณะธะฒะฐะตั‚ัั ะฟะพ ะฑะพั€ั‚ัƒ ะดะพะฒะตั€ั…ัƒ ะฝะฐ 4 ะฟัƒะณะพะฒะธั†ั‹ ะธะผะตัŽั‰ะธะผะธัั ะฒ ะปะตะฒะพะผ ะฑะพั€ั‚ะต ั‡ะตั‚ั‹ั€ัŒะผั ะฟั€ะธัˆะธะฒะฝั‹ะผะธ ะฟะตั‚ะปัะผะธ (a single-breasted cotton-padded jacket, straight cut, fastened on the left side up to the top by four buttons and with four sewn-in belt loops).

These coats then ัั‚ะฐะปะธ ัั‚ะฐะฝะดะฐั€ั‚ะฝะพะน ะพะดะตะถะดะพะน ะดะปั ะฐั€ะผะธะธ ะธ ั‚ัŽั€ะตะผะฝั‹ั… ะปะฐะณะตั€ะตะน (became standard issue for the army and for prison camps). Anyone exiting these institutions would generally do so with the vatnik and, ะตัะปะธ ะธะผ ะฝะตั‡ะตะณะพ ะฑั‹ะปะพ ะฝะฐะดะตั‚ัŒ, ะพะฝะธ ะฟั€ะพะดะพะปะถะฐะปะธ ะฝะพัะธั‚ัŒ ะฒะฐั‚ะฝะธะบ (if they had nothing better to wear, they would keep wearing the vatnik).

Throughout this history, the coat became the clothing of choice for criminals. Commonly worn, they blended in well, assisted in fights and allowed for quick movement.

Because the ะฟั€ะพั‡ะฝะพ ะฐััะพั†ะธะธั€ัƒะตั‚ัั ะฒ ะพัะฝะพะฒะฝะพะผ ั ัะตะปัŒัะบะธะผะธ, ะฑะพะปะตะต ะฑะตะดะฝั‹ะผะธ ะธ ะผะตะฝะตะต ะพะฑั€ะฐะทะพะฒะฐะฝะฝั‹ะผะธ ะปัŽะดัŒะผะธ, (is very strongly associated with rural, poorer, less educated people), the term โ€œะฒะฐั‚ะฝะธะบโ€ is actually used to refer to the people who wear them in a derogatory term roughly equivalent to the American โ€œred neck.โ€

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Other Types of Winter Coats in the USSR and Modern Russia

Today, ะธ ัˆัƒะฑะฐ, ะธ ะฒะฐั‚ะฝะธะบ ะฟะพ-ะฟั€ะตะถะฝะตะผัƒ ั‡ะฐัั‚ะพ ะฒัั‚ั€ะตั‡ะฐัŽั‚ัั (the fur coat and vatnik are still commonly seen). Vatniki can also be found in more stylish versions than the Soviet-era standard, and marketed under the official name: โ€œั‚ะตะปะพะณั€ะตะนะบะฐ.โ€

In the Soviet era, ะผัƒะถั‡ะธะฝั‹ ะธ ะถะตะฝั‰ะธะฝั‹ ะพะฑั‹ั‡ะฝะพ ะฝะพัะธะปะธ ัˆะธะฝะตะปัŒ ะธะท ัˆะตั€ัั‚ัะฝะพะณะพ ััƒะบะฝะฐ (men and women commonly wore a woolen cloth overcoat) ั ะฟะพะดะบะปะฐะดะบะพะน ะธะท ะฒะฐั‚ะธะฝะฐ ะธ ะผะตั…ะพะฒั‹ะผ ะฒะพั€ะพั‚ะฝะธะบะพะผ (with a cotton lining and a fur collar). If a person wanted to look more fashionable, he/she ะผะพะณ ะฝะพัะธั‚ัŒ ะฝะต ัˆะธะฝะตะปัŒ, ะฐ ะดัƒะฑะปะตะฝะบัƒ (might have worn a sheepskin coat rather than the overcoat).

Today, these too can still be found, along with a much greater assortment of choices. ะžะดะฝะธะผ ะธะท ัะฐะผั‹ั… ะฟะพะฟัƒะปัั€ะฝั‹ั… ัะพะฒั€ะตะผะตะฝะฝั‹ั… ะฟะฐะปัŒั‚ะพ ัะฒะปัะตั‚ัั ะบะฐั‡ะตัั‚ะฒะตะฝะฝั‹ะน ะฟัƒั…ะพะฒะธะบ (One of the most popular modern coats is the high quality down-padded coat). This coat will usually have a ัะธะฝั‚ะตั‚ะธั‡ะตัะบะธะน ะฒะฝะตัˆะฝะธะน ัะปะพะน (synthetic outer layer) but will be stuffed with ะฝะฐั‚ัƒั€ะฐะปัŒะฝั‹ะน ะฟัƒั… (natural down). This is considered to be ัะฐะผะพะต ั‚ะตะฟะปะพะต ะฟะฐะปัŒั‚ะพ ะฟะพัะปะต ัˆัƒะฑ (the warmest coat next to fur coats) and can also be one of the least expensive options.

ะšัƒั€ั‚ะบะฐ ะฝะฐ ัะธะฝั‚ะตั‚ะธั‡ะตัะบะพะผ ัƒั‚ะตะฟะปะธั‚ะตะปะต (a jacket with synthetic heat insulation material), while popular in the west, is one of the least practical options for living through a harsh winter. Synthetic material can insulate well, but not for anywhere near as long as natural down.

Another option, which was also not widely available under the USSR, but ะฒ ะฝะฐัั‚ะพัั‰ะตะต ะฒั€ะตะผั ะฒัะต ะฑะพะปัŒัˆัƒัŽ ะฟะพะฟัƒะปัั€ะฝะพัั‚ัŒ ัั€ะตะดะธ ะผะพะดะฝะธะบะพะฒ ะฟั€ะธะพะฑั€ะตั‚ะฐะตั‚ ะบะฐัˆะตะผะธั€ะพะฒะพะต ะฟะฐะปัŒั‚ะพ (now more popular among the fashion conscious is the cashmere coat).

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Winter Footwear for the Eurasian Cold

ะ—ะธะผะฝะธะต ะฑะพั‚ะธะฝะบะธย ะฝะตะพะฑั…ะพะดะธะผั‹ (winter boots are essential). The best quality are leather and lined with insulation. ะžะฝะธ ั‡ะฐัั‚ะพ ะฟะพะบัƒะฟะฐัŽั‚ัั ะฝะฐ ั€ะฐะทะผะตั€ ะฑะพะปัŒัˆะต (they will often be bought a little larger) that other shoes so that ะฒ ะฝะธั… ะผะพะถะฝะพ ั€ะฐะทะผะตัั‚ะธั‚ัŒ ั‚ะพะปัั‚ั‹ะต ะทะธะผะฝะธะต ะฝะพัะบะธ (they can accommodate thick winter socks), perhaps worn as an extra pair over regular athletic socks. Ensuring that the cold of the ground does not reach the feet is essential to being able to stay outdoors in freezing temperatures safely and comfortably.

ะ ะพััะธัะฝะต ะพะฑั‹ั‡ะฝะพ ะฟั€ะตะดะฟะพั‡ะธั‚ะฐัŽั‚ ะทะธะผะฝะธะต ะฒั‹ัะพะบะธะต ัะฐะฟะพะณะธ (Russians generally favor winter high boots) ะธะท ะบะพะถะธ ั ะฒะฝัƒั‚ั€ะตะฝะฝะตะน ะฟะพะดะบะปะฐะดะบะพะน ะธะท ะฝะฐั‚ัƒั€ะฐะปัŒะฝะพะณะพ ะผะตั…ะฐ (made of leather with an inner lining of natural fur). ะ‘ะพั‚ะธะฝะบะธ ะดะพะปะถะฝั‹ ะฑั‹ั‚ัŒ ะฒะพะดะพะฝะตะฟั€ะพะฝะธั†ะฐะตะผั‹ะผะธ ะธ ะธะผะตั‚ัŒ ั…ะพั€ะพัˆะตะต ัั†ะตะฟะปะตะฝะธะต ั ะฟะพะฒะตั€ั…ะฝะพัั‚ัŒัŽ (boots should be waterproof and have good traction), although Russian women are famous for being able to high-heeled winter boots even when the streets have largely turned to ice.

Winter boots must be high quality and ะทะฐ ะฝะธะผะธ ะฝะตะพะฑั…ะพะดะธะผะพ ะฟั€ะฐะฒะธะปัŒะฝะพ ัƒั…ะฐะถะธะฒะฐั‚ัŒ (they must be properly cared for), especially in major cities where ัƒะปะธั†ั‹ ะทะฐะฟะพะปะฝัั‚ัั ะบะฐัˆะตะน (the streets will fill with โ€œkashaโ€). โ€œะšะฐัˆะฐโ€ is the Russian word for โ€œporridgeโ€ and is used in slang to refer to the brown-grey slush that forms when snow, dirt, pollution, and anti-ice reagent all mix. The compound can be deadly for shoes.

ะกะฐะผั‹ะผะธ ั‚ั€ะฐะดะธั†ะธะพะฝะฝั‹ะผะธ ะทะธะผะฝะธะผะธ ัะฐะฟะพะณะฐะผะธ ัƒะถะต ะดะฐะฒะฝะพ ัั‚ะฐะปะธ ะฒะฐะปะตะฝะบะธ (the most traditional winter footwear has long been valenki). Early forms of valenki were formed from pieces of felt rolled into form and sewn along the side into a sort of shoe. This technology is very old and has long been widespread โ€“ Plato writes of ancient Greeks wearing similar winter footwear.

Valenki as they are now known were likely adapted from the Mongols and are based on a felt sock that warriors wore within their boots. ะ’ะฐะปะตะฝะบะธ ะธะทะณะพั‚ะฐะฒะปะธะฒะฐัŽั‚ัั ะธะท ั†ะตะปัŒะฝะพะณะพ ะบัƒัะบะฐ ั„ะพั€ะผะพะฒะฐะฝะฝะพะณะพ ะฒะพะนะปะพะบะฐ, ะดะปะธะฝะฐ ะบะพั‚ะพั€ะพะณะพ ะดะพัั‚ะธะณะฐะตั‚ ั‡ัƒั‚ัŒ ะฝะธะถะต ะบะพะปะตะฝะฐ (valenki are formed from single piece of molded felt that reaches just below the knee). This design is excellent for walking through high snow but was initially prohibitively expensive. Not only is forming the single piece a highly specialized skill, requiring specialized equipment, but a set of these boots will often contain an entire kilogram or more of wool โ€“ that is, an entire sheepโ€™s worth.

The newer model became widespread only in the later 19th century, when several factories were built specifically to produce them after the tsar made the boots part of the uniform for his soldiers. By 1900, about 1.5 million pair were produced and sold annually within the Russian empire. The USSR carried on this tradition, as does modern Russia.

Today, ะฝะฐ ะฒะฐะปะตะฝะบะธ ั‡ะฐัั‚ะพ ะฝะฐะดะตะฒะฐัŽั‚ ะณะฐะปะพัˆะธ (valenki are often fitted with โ€œgaloshiโ€), a protective rubber outer portion that the Soviets developed. Some models have soles embedded into the material.

Although ะดะธะทะฐะนะฝะตั€ัะบะธะต ะฒะฐะปะตะฝะบะธ ัะตะณะพะดะฝั ะฟะพะฟัƒะปัั€ะฝั‹ ะฒ ะณะพั€ะพะดะฐั… (designer valenki are now popular in cities), they are more associated with village life and can be associated with the qualities of the vatnik, although to a far lesser extent. This can be seen in the expression ั‚ัƒะฟะพะน, ะบะฐะบ ัะธะฑะธั€ัะบะธะน ะฒะฐะปะตะฝะพะบ (as stupid as a Siberian felt boot), used to refer to something stupid and clumsy. Valenki are soft and edgeless and thus not as โ€œsharpโ€ as other footwear more commonly worn in cities. You might also notice too that the expression uses the singular for valenki, valenok. Having just one boot does no one any good.

Although not as common, ัƒะฝั‚ั‹ โ€“ ะตั‰ะต ะพะดะธะฝ ะฒะธะด ั‚ั€ะฐะดะธั†ะธะพะฝะฝะพะน ะพะฑัƒะฒะธ (โ€œuntiโ€ are another form of traditional footwear). These are fur shoes. The oldest versions would, like older versions of valenki, be simply a piece of material rolled and sewn up the side with the leather side out and fur side in. These can also be seen on modern streets in designer versions. However, these are far more expensive than valenki and less practical, especially if the ground is wet and dirty.

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Basic Principles of Staying Warm

One of the most important principles in staying warm is to keep as much of the bodyโ€™s own warmth next to it while not causing the body to sweat. Moisture will decrease clothingโ€™s ability to insulate you and any exposed skin with moisture will be at greater risk of temperature loss and frostbite.

Thus, ะพะดะตะถะดะฐ ะดะพะปะถะฝะฐ ะฑั‹ั‚ัŒ ะผะฝะพะณะพัะปะพะนะฝะพะน (clothes should have many layers). ะ›ัƒั‡ัˆะต ะธะผะตั‚ัŒ ะดะฒะฐ ั‚ะพะฝะบะธั… ัะฒะธั‚ะตั€ะฐ ะธ ะพะดะฝัƒ ั‚ะพะฝะบัƒัŽ ะฒะพะดะพะปะฐะทะบัƒ (It is better to have two thinner sweaters and one thin turtleneck), than one very thick sweater. This creates more layers of air between you and the elements โ€“ which is what, in the end, will keep your bodyโ€™s warmth contained.

One must especially ะฑะตั€ะตั‡ัŒ ะบะพะฝะตั‡ะฝะพัั‚ะธ (protect oneโ€™s extremities). First of all, this includes the ะณะพะปะพะฒะฐ (head). Without a good hat, heat loss from the head is substantial, placing the rest of the body at risk. ะ”ะปั ะพั‡ะตะฝัŒ ั…ะพะปะพะดะฝะพะน ะฟะพะณะพะดั‹ ะปัƒั‡ัˆะต ะฒัะตะณะพ ะฟะพะดั…ะพะดัั‚ ัˆะฐะฟะบะธ ั ะบะพะถะฐะฝะพะน ะธ ะผะตั…ะพะฒะพะน ะฟะพะดะบะปะฐะดะบะพะน (For deep cold, the best hat is leather and fur lined). However, such a hat can easily cause one to sweat if temperatures are not low enough. ะ’ัะทะฐะฝั‹ะต ัˆะฐะฟะบะธ ะปัƒั‡ัˆะต ะธัะฟะพะปัŒะทะพะฒะฐั‚ัŒ ะฒ ะฑะพะปะตะต ะปะตะณะบัƒัŽ ะฟะพะณะพะดัƒ (knit caps are better for lighter weather).

When cold, blood is removed from the limbs to the heart and brain, protecting the bodyโ€™s core, but making the limbs more vulnerable to frostbite. The fingers, nose, and ears are especially vulnerable as they have fewer blood vessels and less mass with which to hold onto their heat. Thus, ะฝะตะพะฑั…ะพะดะธะผั‹ ั‚ะตะฟะปั‹ะต ะฟะตั€ั‡ะฐั‚ะบะธ ะธะปะธ ะฒะฐั€ะตะถะบะธ ะธ ัˆะฐั€ั„ (warm gloves or mittens and a scarf are needed). ะกะปะตะดัƒะตั‚ ั‚ะฐะบะถะต ะฝะพัะธั‚ัŒ ัƒัˆะฝั‹ะต ะฒะบะปะฐะดั‹ัˆะธ ะธะปะธ ัˆะฐะฟะบัƒ, ะทะฐะบั€ั‹ะฒะฐัŽั‰ัƒัŽ ัƒัˆะธ, ะฝะฐะฟั€ะธะผะตั€, ัƒัˆะฐะฝะบัƒ (earmuffs or a hat able to cover the ears, such as an โ€œushankaโ€ should also be worn).

Lastly, you must realize that bodyโ€™s ability to maintain its temperature relies on its ability to burn calories. The body will work harder and burn more calories in the cold just to maintain its temperature. Thus, Russian ะฒั€ะฐั‡ะธ ะฝะต ัะพะฒะตั‚ัƒัŽั‚ ะฒั‹ั…ะพะดะธั‚ัŒ ะฝะฐ ัƒะปะธั†ัƒ ะณะพะปะพะดะฝั‹ะผ (doctors donโ€™t advise people to go outside hungry).ย In winter, one should ะฟะพะฒั‹ัะธั‚ัŒ ะบะฐะปะพั€ะธะนะฝะพัั‚ัŒ ั€ะฐั†ะธะพะฝะฐ (increase the calorie content of oneโ€™s diet) by adding more meat, fish, and fat.

This is also the reason why some Russians will insist that ะฟะพะปะตะทะฝะพ ะฟะธั‚ัŒ ะฒะพะดะบัƒ ะทะธะผะพะน (it is good to drink vodka in the winter). The alcohol not only ัะพะทะดะฐะตั‚ ะพั‰ัƒั‰ะตะฝะธะต ั‚ะตะฟะปะฐ ะฒ ะพั€ะณะฐะฝะธะทะผะต (gives the body a sensation of warmth) as it is drunk, but it also very high in calories, supplying about 100 with every 50-gram shot. At a time when other caloric sources are more limited, this might be useful to sheer survival. However, it is not recommended as the alcohol also dulls the senses, reducing the bodyโ€™s ability to alert you to the onset of hypothermia and frostbite. Thus, ัั‚ะฐ ะฟั€ะธะฒั‹ั‡ะบะฐ ั‚ะฐะบะถะต ะฐััะพั†ะธะธั€ัƒะตั‚ัั ั ะฑะพะปะตะต ะฑะตะดะฝั‹ะผะธ ะธ ะผะตะฝะตะต ะพะฑั€ะฐะทะพะฒะฐะฝะฝั‹ะผะธ ะปัŽะดัŒะผะธ (this habit too is associated with poorer and less educated people).

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Conclusion: Culture Adapts to Cold

Much more could be said about the weather of Eurasia and how people and cultures have adapted to it (including mentioning that Eurasia also has surprisingly hot summers!)

Adapting to the cold has left Russian culture and society with a particular reverence for dressing for the weather, a highlevel of cultural knowledge about how the body reacts to cold, and with some habits and styles that are particularly associated with socio-economic class.

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About the author

Andrei Nesterov

Andrei Nesterov

Andrei Nesterov leads SRAS' Research Services, performing remote archive research and consultations for researchers around the globe. Andrei graduated from Ural State University (journalism) and Irkutsk State Linguistic University (English). He also studied public policy and journalism at Duke University on a Muskie Fellowship and taught Russian at West Virginia University. As a journalist, he has reported in both Russian and English language outlets and has years of archival research experience. He has travelled Russia extensively and penned many stories on the โ€œreal Russiaโ€ which lies beyond the capital and major cities. Andrei also contributes news, feature stories, and language resources to the SRAS Family of Sites.

Program attended: SRAS Staff Member

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Josh Wilson

Josh Wilson

Josh lived in Moscow from 2003, when he first arrived to study Russian with SRAS, until 2022. He holds an M.A. in Theatre and a B.A. in History from Idaho State University, where his masters thesis was written on the political economy of Soviet-era censorship organs affecting the stage. At SRAS, Josh assists in program development and leads our Internship Programs. He is also the editor-in-chief for the SRAS newsletter, the SRAS Family of Sites, and Vestnik. He has previously served as Communications Director to Bellerage Alinga and has served as a consultant or translator to several businesses and organizations with interests in Russia.

Program attended: SRAS Staff Member

View all posts by: Josh Wilson