чепуха

Russian

Etymology

According to Vasmer, the exact etymology of this word is unknown. But it is said to be derived from a variant pronunciation of щепа́ (ščepá, “wood chips”), "чепа".

Compare typologically вздор (vzdor) (possibly akin to драть (dratʹ)), дребеде́нь (drebedénʹ).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [t͡ɕɪpʊˈxa]

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

чепуха́ • (čepuxá) f inan (genitive чепухи́, uncountable, relational adjective чепухо́вый, expressive term чепушня́ or чепушня́к or чепуши́на)

1. (colloquial, sometimes derogatory) nonsense, rubbish
2. (colloquial) trifle

Declension

Declension of чепуха́ (inan sg-only fem-form velar-stem accent-b) 

	singular
nominative	чепуха́ čepuxá
genitive	чепухи́ čepuxí
dative	чепухе́ čepuxé
accusative	чепуху́ čepuxú
instrumental	чепухо́й, чепухо́ю čepuxój, čepuxóju
prepositional	чепухе́ čepuxé

Synonyms

• бессмы́слица (bessmýslica), бред (bred), ерунда́ (jerundá), но́нсенс (nónsɛns)

Derived terms

• чепуши́ла m anim or f anim (čepušíla), чепуши́ло n anim (čepušílo)
• чепуши́нник m anim (čepušínnik)
• чепуши́ть impf (čepušítʹ)

Compounds:

• чепуха́ на по́стном ма́сле (čepuxá na póstnom másle)

References

• Vasmer, Max (1964–1973), “чепуха”, in Oleg Trubachyov, transl., Этимологический словарь русского языка [Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), Moscow: Progress
• Chernykh, P. Ja. (1999), “чепуха”, in Историко-этимологический словарь русского языка [Historical-Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), 3rd edition, volume 2 (панцирь – ящур), Moscow: Russian Lang., →ISBN, page 379
• Šanskij, N. M. (2004), “чепуха”, in Školʹnyj etimologičeskij slovarʹ russkovo jazyka [School Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), Moscow: Drofa
• Tsyhanenko, H. P. (1989), “чепуха”, in Этимологический словарь русского языка [Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), 2nd edition, Kyiv: Радянська школа, →ISBN, page 477
• Shaposhnikov, A. K. (2010), “чепуха”, in Этимологический словарь современного русского языка [Etymological Dictionary of the Contemporary Russian Language] (in Russian), volumes 2: (Начать – Я), Moscow: Flinta; Nauka, →ISBN, page 518

Further reading

• Dal, Vladimir (1880–1882), “чепуха”, in Толковый Словарь живаго великорускаго языка [Explanatory Dictionary of the Living Great Russian Language] (in Russian), 2nd edition, Publication of the bookseller-typographer Wolf, M. O.