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на рыбьем меху

English translation: a euphemism for very shabby, not warm

05:42 Oct 27, 2005
Russian to English translations [PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Russian term or phrase: на рыбьем меху
Full sentence: Мороз под 40, а одежонка на рыбьем меху.

The 2 native Russian speakers I've asked in "real life" have never heard of this expression. The speaker is remembering the 1930s, so it may be an older expression.
Deborah Hoffman
Local time: 22:05
English translation:a euphemism for very shabby, not warm
Explanation:
I've heard this more than once before
Selected response from:

Marina Aleyeva
Israel
Local time: 05:05
Grading comment
I ended up using an idiom that means a similar thing "so thin you could read a newspaper through it." Thanks!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +12a euphemism for very shabby, not warm
Marina Aleyeva
4 +1"without any fur " OR sometimes "with artificial fur"
Alexander Onishko
4 +1flimsy (of clothes)
Jack slep
3 +1furred as a fish/frog/toad, in a fish/frog/toad furring, furred so good as the fish is
George Vardanyan
4giving no protection from the cold; with no wormth in it (of a poor ragged (shabby) coat)))
Nik-On/Off
4wretched clothes
Andrew Vdovin
3 +1Не ответ (Это интересно :)
odaj


Discussion entries: 5





  

Answers


5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +12
на рыбьем меху
a euphemism for very shabby, not warm


Explanation:
I've heard this more than once before

Marina Aleyeva
Israel
Local time: 05:05
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian, Native in UkrainianUkrainian
PRO pts in category: 55
Grading comment
I ended up using an idiom that means a similar thing "so thin you could read a newspaper through it." Thanks!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Kirill Semenov: still I would say the idiom is rare enough. I can believe many native Russians never have never heard of it.
8 mins
  -> It does look a bit outdated or at least out of place in an urban culture, perhaps fitting better in a rural setting. I think I've seen it in books, maybe not heard in a real life situation, though it does not sound totally unfamiliar.
agree  koundelev
54 mins
  -> Thank you
agree  Larissa Dinsley: I have heard it often enough. Does it mean I am too old? :)
1 hr
  -> Oh No :)
agree  Olga Judina: Для меня это совершенно обычное выражение. Многие мои близкие и знакомые его упортебляют, правда, никогда не имея в виду искусственный мех, только одежду, которая не греет
2 hrs
  -> Совершенно верно. Не понимаю, откуда возникла такая версия. Спасибо!
agree  Irina Romanova-Wasike: don't consider myself as too old :), but expression sounds quite common to me
2 hrs
  -> So it does to me! Thank you.
agree  tanyazst
2 hrs
  -> Thank you.
agree  Elena Ivaniushina: никогда не слышала применительно к искусственному меху - только к одежде, которая попросту не греет, ничем не подбита / да, конечно. Собственно, я отчасти комментировала не только Ваш ответ, но и другие :)
3 hrs
  -> Я уверена, что искусственный мех ни при чем (если, конечно, где-нибудь на северном полюсе не водятся рыбы на искусственном меху). Выражение-то вообще ироническое! Спасибо :)
agree  Elina Rokhkind
3 hrs
  -> Thank you.
agree  Freimanis
4 hrs
  -> Thank you.
agree  Blithe: a very common Russian expression
10 hrs
  -> Thanks
agree  Sergei Tumanov
10 hrs
agree  Natalie
12 hrs
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38 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
на рыбьем меху
"without any fur " OR sometimes "with artificial fur"


Explanation:
figurative meaning - the clothes which will not make you warm

Alexander Onishko
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian, Native in UkrainianUkrainian
PRO pts in category: 71

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Сергей Лузан: 'with artificial fur' most likely, or some kind of fur imitation and figurative meaning is implied no doubts here.
1 hr
  -> Спасибо, Сергей !
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
на рыбьем меху
furred as a fish/frog/toad, in a fish/frog/toad furring, furred so good as the fish is


Explanation:
clothed/furred as a fish/frog/toad, in fish/frog/toad furring, clothed/furred so good as the fish is

George Vardanyan
Local time: 04:05
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Margarita: I like 'clothed so good as the fish is'
6 days
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
на рыбьем меху
giving no protection from the cold; with no wormth in it (of a poor ragged (shabby) coat)))


Explanation:
Из Русско-английского фразеологического словаря:
На Вере Ивановне пальтишко на рыбьем меху, тонкие чулки и батинки, вокруг шеи легкий шелковый платок. (Ю. Нагибин, "Дети лепят из снега")
Vera Ivanovna... is wearing a poor coat with no warmth in it, thin stockings and shoes, and a light silk kerchief round her neck.

Nik-On/Off
Ukraine
Local time: 05:05
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian, Native in UkrainianUkrainian
PRO pts in category: 25
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56 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
на рыбьем меху
wretched clothes


Explanation:
Or unpadded clothes, or even both.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr 24 mins (2005-10-27 07:06:29 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

my (his, their, etc) outerwear was outworn... :-)

Or: my clothes were a poor shell.
Or: I wore a poor shell of clothes.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr 33 mins (2005-10-27 07:15:30 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

ИЛИ: garments that no longer hold together

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr 38 mins (2005-10-27 07:21:19 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Или вот еще такое выражение есть: seedy clothes.

Cameron Vale (Stephen Lack), a mentally unstable homeless man in slightly seedy clothes and overcoat, is caught and tranquilized by government or corporate ...
efilmcritic.com/review.php?movie=1495&reviewer=402

She made sarcastic comments about his seedy clothes, his bad grammar, and his scuffed shoes. Any man who had the nerve to ask a girl out for an evening and ...
collectedstories.com/files/storytime/sensibleshoes.html


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr 45 mins (2005-10-27 07:27:43 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Или: threadbare clothes
Или, в конце концов, - duds

I saw villagers in threadbare clothes living in small wooden houses without complaining. I thought to myself, here I was dissatisfied at times that I do not ...
www.adventist.org.sg/newsletter/dec1998jan1999.htm

... have been friendly, and with all the fur coats and hats and high heeled boots we've seen, I doubt anyone here would be interested in our poor duds. ...
alumnisandstorm.com/htm2005/2005-01-Jan.htm

Andrew Vdovin
Local time: 09:05
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian
PRO pts in category: 83
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Не ответ (Это интересно :)


Explanation:
Мех рыбий - точнее, прочная и нежная (нежнее перчаточной замши} рыбья кожа, особым образом обработанная, - до недавних пор материал для одежды и прочего у жителей Приамурья; русское ироническое выражение «шуба на рыбьем меху» (то есть холодная) в Приамурском крае, вероятно, осталось бы непонятным. Чтобы получить такую кожу, рыбу чистят, валят часа три-четыре, снимают кожу костяным ножом, подсушивают ее, очищают от чешуи; затем смоченные в бульоне из рыбьих голов шкурки закладывают комком в чурку и отбивают, не давая распрямиться. На следующий день шкурки кроят специальными ножами. Сшивают детали нитками из той же рыбьей кожи. Готовая одежда украшается узорными трафаретами на рыбьем клею, вышитыми матерчатыми полосками, стеклянными подвесками бахромой.



    Reference: http://www.sarafan.ru/san/Ms/FashionVoc/article220.html
odaj
Ukraine
Local time: 05:05
Native speaker of: Native in UkrainianUkrainian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Margarita: спасибо!
5 days
  -> И Вам спасибо ;-)!
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11 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
flimsy (of clothes)


Explanation:
This definition is given Novyi Bol'shi Russko-Angliiskii Slovar', so it must be a rather common expression. Also, there are quite a few sites in Goggle with на рыбьем меху, some with reference to fashion shows.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2005-10-27 17:02:53 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

КЮ: \"Чудеса на рыбьем меху\"

... eXclusive Banner Network. Чудеса на рыбьем меху
Вячеслва Нат Пародии. «Все пишешь и ...
humor.pccenter.ru/?id=3505 - 21k - Supplemental Result - Cached - Similar pages

Новые Известия / Купальник на рыбьем ...

Купальник на рыбьем меху. Бразильские дизайнеры показали москвичам, что ...
www.newizv.ru/news/?id_news=12511&date=2004-10-01 - 44k - Supplemental Result - Cached - Similar pages

КЮ: Чудеса на рыбьем меху

... КЮ\" (http://humor.21.ru). Чудеса на рыбьем меху Вячеслва Нат. «Все пишешь и пишешь ...
humor.21.ru/print.phtml?id=3505 - 5k - Supplemental Result - Cached - Similar pages

КЮ: \"Чудеса на рыбьем меху\"

Конкурс Юмористических Произведений \"КЮ\", http://humor.
21.ru. Чудеса на рыбьем меху Вячеслва Нат. ...
humor.21.ru/comments.phtml?id=3505 - 16k - Supplemental Result - Cached - Similar pages
[ More results from humor.21.ru ]

Импортная шуба на «рыбьем меху»

Импортная шуба на «рыбьем меху» ... В основном (80% общего числа) предъявляемые
на экспертизу товары имеют скрытые производственные дефекты, выявившиеся в ...
www.expertiza.ru/expertiza.phtml?id=270 - 25k - Cached - Similar pages

Smokeroom: Импортная шуба на «рыбьем ...

Импортная шуба на «рыбьем меху», Курилка создана. Добро пожаловать в КУРИЛКУ! ...
www.expertiza.ru/smokeroom.phtml?doc=270 - 22k

Jack slep
Local time: 22:05
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Simon Gregory: brief and clear: often such clothing do not close a body
8 hrs
  -> Thank you Simon!
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