лы́сый
lýsyj
The English word "bald" is translated into Russian as лы́сый (lýsyj). Wiktionary also lists плеши́вый (plešívyj).
Meaning: having little or no hair (adj)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| лы́сый | lýsyj |
| плеши́вый | plešívyj |
The term describes someone having little or no hair.
Which one should you use?
лы́сый is the standard, neutral term for a person who is bald. In contrast, плеши́вый refers to someone with patchy hair or bald spots and is often used insultingly.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective лы́сый changes its ending based on grammatical case. For example, it becomes лы́сого when used in the genitive or accusative case.
How do you pronounce it?
lýsyj
Did you know?
- The word лы́сый is used in the name of the 'Bald Mountain' Лысая гора, a recurring location in Slavic folklore where witches gather for the Sabbath.
- While лысый is neutral, calling someone плеши́вый is a significant insult that implies the person is 'mangy' or 'scabby'.
- The noun плешь can be used to describe a 'bald spot' on a piece of cloth or a gap in an object, not just on a human head.
Example sentences for Russian are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Sergey and Maria are looking at an old photograph.
- Сергей SergeyПосмотри, какой он лы́сый!Posmotri, kakoy on lysyy!Look how bald he is!
- Мария MariaЭто его обычный стиль.Eto ego obychnyy stil'.This is his usual style.
- Сергей SergeyМне нравится этот образ.Mne nravitsya etot obraz.I like this look.
- Мария MariaДа, ему идёт быть лы́сым.Da, emu idyot byt' lysym.Yes, being bald suits him.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bald” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
