NB Талия "waist" vs. пояс "waist." These synonyms have different combinatory properties. The word пояс "waist" is used to indicate the level of something, e.g. голый до пояса "naked to the waist," вода по пояс "water up to one's waist," etc. Such expressions are not used with талия "waist." On the other hand, the word талия is used in expressions which describe the shape of that part of the body: тонкая талия "a slim waist," узкая талия "a narrow waist," etc. The word пояс is not used in such constructions (except for the expression тонкий в поясе "small-waisted").