щур
ščur[ʃt͡ʃur]masculine
The English word 'rat' is translated into Ukrainian as щур (ščur) or пацю́к.
Meaning: rodent (noun)
Ways to say it
| Ukrainian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| щур | ščur | [ʃt͡ʃur] (narrow) | masculine |
| пацю́к | pacjúk | masculine |
Which one should you use?
щур is the more neutral, biological or formal term for the rodent. пацю́к is also used to mean rat.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form щур changes to щура in the genitive case, which is used after many prepositions or to indicate possession.
How do you pronounce it?
ščur
Did you know?
- While English uses 'rat' for both the animal and a traitor, the Ukrainian word пацю́к is the specific term used in slang to describe a person who is untrustworthy.
- In Ukrainian, the word щур can also refer to a 'wood mouse', a much smaller rodent than the English 'rat'.
- The Ukrainian word щур is a cognate with the Polish word szczur, reflecting a shared Slavic linguistic history for naming this specific rodent.
Examples in context
- Кажан такий же птах, як і щур.A bat is no more a bird than a rat is.This sentence uses щур to compare a bat and a rat.Tatoeba #5144704 by deniko, translation #35799 by CM
- Кролик, як правило, більший за щура.The rabbit, as a rule, is bigger than a rat.This sentence uses щура to compare a rabbit and a rat.Tatoeba #5876040 by deniko, translation #8548205 by captcrouton
- Я хочу втекти від життєвих щурячих перегонів.I want to get away from the rat race.This sentence uses the adjectival form of щур to translate the idiom 'rat race'.Tatoeba #13151430 by deniko, translation #20355 by CK
- Перегляньте цей розділ про щура́ у нашій енциклопедії.Check out this section about rats in our encyclopedia.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A man and a woman are talking about a pest in their kitchen.
- Марія MariiaДмитре, я бачила щура на кухні!Dmytre, ya bachyla shchura na kukhni!Dmytro, I saw a rat in the kitchen!
- Дмитро DmytroДе саме був цей щур?De same buv tsei shchur?Where exactly was this rat?
- Марія MariiaВін пробіг біля холодильника.Vin probih bilya kholodylnyka.It ran past the refrigerator.
- Дмитро DmytroМені треба купити пастку.Meni treba kupyty pastku.I need to buy a trap.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rat” translations and entries щур, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
