красная зараза

Russian

White Guard poster “In sacrifice to the International”

Etymology

The word combination кра́сная (krásnaja) and зара́за (zaráza). Literal translation: The red scumbag, bastard / infection.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈkrasnəjə zɐˈrazə]

Noun

кра́сная зара́за • (krásnaja zaráza) f inan (genitive кра́сной зара́зы, uncountable)

1. (derogatory, politics) socialist, communist
2. (derogatory) socialism, communism

Usage notes

• This expression is used by politically active citizens in Russia and other post-Soviet countries with strong anti-socialist, anti-communist and anti-Soviet sentiments, as a pejorative against supporters of socialism and communism, planned economy, public property of the means of production.
• This expression is used by socialists and communists to refer to themselves, as an oppressed group through self-ironic defense.

Declension

Declension of кра́сная зара́за (inan sg-only fem-form hard-stem accent-a) 

	singular
nominative	кра́сная зара́за krásnaja zaráza
genitive	кра́сной зара́зы krásnoj zarázy
dative	кра́сной зара́зе krásnoj zaráze
accusative	кра́сную зара́зу krásnuju zarázu
instrumental	кра́сной зара́зой, кра́сною зара́зою krásnoj zarázoj, krásnoju zarázoju
prepositional	кра́сной зара́зе krásnoj zaráze