| Кисти у пианиста были широкие и сильные. | The pianist's hands were broad and strong. |
| Кисти Пети были худые, тонкие, а запястья совсем детские. | Petya's hands were lean and slight, and his wrists looked like the wrists of a small child. |
| Художник рассматривал её кисть. | The artist examined her hand. |
NB When the word кисть functions as a subject and does not have a descriptive modifier, the construction кисть у + Genitive (or Кисти рук + Genitive) is often preferred to (a) and (b), above: | |
| Кисти у Пети были худые, тонкие. | Petya's hands were lean and slight. |
| левая/правая кисть | the left/right hand |
| кисть левой/правой руки | the left/right hand |
| Левая кисть у Пети была повреждена в автомобильной катастрофе. | Petya's left hand was injured in an automobile accident. |
| рука | hand |
NB Рука "hand" vs. кисть "hand." The word кисть is somewhat technical (i.e., anatomical) in style and less common than the word рука. Кисть suggests the bones rather than the flesh, and is used only with modifiers that describe visible properties. Thus, such adjectives as влажная "damp," горячая "hot," ловкая "nimble," can only be used with рука, but not with кисть. Certain verb phrases which may include рука are not allowed with кисть: потирать руки "to rub one's hands," взять в руку "to take in one's hand," держать в руке "to hold in one's hand," etc. Compare взять за руку "to take someone by the hand," which is a very common expression, and взять за кисть, which is almost a technical description of the same movement, appropriate for a doctor looking for pulse, or a coach showing a specific movement, etc. | |
| кисти рукg (plural only) | hands |
NB Note that the expression кисти рук is very commonly used, unlike such expressions as пятки ног "heel." One may therefore consider it to be synonymous with кисть. | |
| Кисти рук у Пети были худые, тонкие. | Petya's hands were lean and slight. |
| кистевой | hand, wrist (as modifiers) |
| кистевой сустав | the wrist joint |
| пальцы | fingers |
| ладонь | palm |
| косточки | knuckles |
NB Note that the word ладонь "palm," not кисть, is used in the following expressions: | |
| тыльная сторона ладониg | the back of the hand |
| ребро ладониg | the edge of the hand |
| рука | arm |
| кисть левой руки | the left hand |
| большая кисть | a large hand |
| маленькая кисть | a small hand |
| небольшая кисть | a small hand |
| пухлая кисть | a fleshy hand |
| тонкая кисть | a fine-boned hand |
| худая кисть; костлявая кисть | a bony hand |
| широкая кисть | a broad hand |
| рука широкая в кистиp | a broad hand |
| узкая кисть | a narrow hand |
| изящная кисть | an elegant hand |
| обезьянья кисть | an ape-like hand |
| белая кисть | a white hand |
| смуглая кисть | an olive-complected hand |
| загорелая кисть | a tanned hand |
| жилистая кисть | a sinewy hand |
| волосатая кисть | a hairy hand |
| сильная кисть | a strong hand |
| слабая кисть | a weak hand |
| хрупкая кисть | a fragile hand |
| опухшая кисть; распухшая кисть | a swollen hand |
| брать/взять Na за кистьa | to take N by the hand |
| хватать/схватить Na за кистьa | to grasp N by the hand |
| ловить/поймать Na за кистьa | to grab N by the hand |
| — Нет, прокуратор, я не врач, — ответил арестант, с наслаждением потирая измятую и опухшую багровую [после удара] кисть руки. [М. Булгаков, Мастер и Маргарита] | "No, Mr. Procurator, I am not a doctor," answered the prisoner, rubbing his crumpled, swollen, bruised [from the blow] hand with enormous relief. [M. Bulgakov, Master and Margarita] |
| У Серова была очень оригинальная кисть руки: небольшая, широкая, с короткими пальцами. | Serov had a very peculiar hand: rather small and broad, with short fingers. |