ко́жа
kóžafeminine
The English word skin is translated into Russian as ко́жа (kóža). Wiktionary also lists шку́ра (škúra).
Meaning: outer protective layer of the body of a person or animal (noun)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ко́жа | kóža | feminine |
| шку́ра | škúra | derogatory, feminine |
ко́жа is the most common word for skin in Russian. In specialized or scientific contexts, you might encounter Эпидермис (epidermis) to describe the outermost layer or Дерма (derma) for formal medical discussions.
Which one should you use?
ко́жа refers to human skin. In contrast, шку́ра refers to animal hide and is used as a derogatory term when applied to a person.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
ко́жа is a feminine noun. Its instrumental case form is ко́жей, and its related adjective form is ко́жный. To express the action of injuring or removing skin, you can use the verbs обдира́ть or ободра́ть.
How do you pronounce it?
kóža
Did you know?
- If you use the verb обдира́ть in a figurative sense, it can mean 'to skin' someone of their money or to overcharge them, much like 'to fleece' in English.
- In Russian, the word ко́жа is used for both human skin and leather material. This means a 'leather jacket' is literally a 'skin jacket' (ко́жаная ку́ртка).
- While шку́ра means 'hide' or 'pelt', using it to refer to a person is a vulgar insult. It suggests the person is devoid of a soul or human dignity.
Examples in context
- У неё очень нежная ко́жа.U neyo ochen' nezhnaya kozha.She has very soft skin.
Example conversation
Olga and Andrey are discussing skincare at home.
- Ольга OlgaАндрей, у тебя сухая ко́жа?Andrey, u tebya sukhaya kozha?Andrey, is your skin dry?
- Андрей AndreyДа, мне нужен увлажняющий крем.Da, mne nuzhen uvlazhnyayushchiy krem.Yes, I need a moisturizing cream.
- Ольга OlgaЯ могу дать тебе свой крем.Ya mogu dat' tebe svoy krem.I can give you my cream.
- Андрей AndreyСпасибо, Ольга, это очень поможет.Spasibo, Ol'ga, eto ochen' pomozhet.Thanks, Olga, that will help a lot.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “skin” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
