The Russian language is replete with various stable expressions. They undoubtedly adorn everyone’s speech if they are used with knowledge of the meaning of one or another phraseological unit. In this article, we will consider the comparative turn "like two drops of water", which is known to all. However, not many people know how he settled in our vocabulary.
The meaning and use of phraseology
First you need to figure out what this expression means. It, of course, is known to all, because many people use colloquial phraseology “like two drops of water” in colloquial speech . Its meaning is as follows: perfect resemblance. This applies to individuals, and objects, and phenomena. When they see people looking alike (usually externally), they usually say that they look like two drops of water.
We see that the speech revolution in question is used as a circumstance of the mode of action. It is used most often with the adjective “similar”, which can appear in various forms: both in short and in full. Here, this revolution conveys an image of external resemblance. Also, this phraseological unit can convey the character, properties of various things - all that has any resemblance to another subject.
What does this expression mean, we have identified, examined how it is used in speech. It is worth knowing what the origin of phraseology is "like two drops of water." Surely, this story holds some kind of secret.
The origin of the phraseology "like two drops of water"
Many persistent expressions do not have a specific author. It turned out that this also applies to the phraseological unit we are considering. He is native Russian, transmitted from generation to generation. Even in Russia they talked about similar people and objects, using in their conversations the phraseology “like two drops of water”. The origin of this expression is thus folk. And the person who first used this turnover is not fixed.
Some suggest that the origin of phraseology “like two drops of water” is associated with its use in the literature. However, scholars of the Russian cultural wealth of Russia are convinced that the writers simply picked it up and used the ready-made circulation in their works. But it was precisely after the use of this stable expression by writers in their writings that it became a more popular comparison, which many people willingly used in conversation.
Synonyms of phraseological units in Russian
We have already indicated above that the stable expression in question has the meaning of "perfect similarity." What can replace phraseology “like two drops of water”? There is a synonym, and not one: exactly, exactly, similar, identical, like brothers, like sisters, like twins.
In addition, there are stable expressions with a similar meaning. For example: hair in hair, as a selection, one to one, one field of a berry, one smeared world, one cut, one block, two boots of steam and so on. Our language is rich in similar stable folk expressions. And if you try, you can find even more similar turns in dictionaries, textbooks and literary works. One has only to search.
Synonyms in other languages
Many persistent expressions, similar in meaning, are used in different countries. The same applies to the phraseological unit we are considering. It is popular in many languages. Consider it in English and in French. At first it sounds like: as like as two drops of water. And in French: se ressembler comme deux gouttes d'eau.
How can I replace phraseology “like two drops of water”? The synonym for this stable expression in other languages translates as "similar as two peas in a pod." His English version is as like as two peas in a pod. In French it sounds like: se ressembler comme deux grains de pois dans une cosse.
It is worth noting that there is another phraseological unit in a foreign language, similar in meaning to our expression - “look like one egg to another”. In English, it is pronounced like this: as like as two eggs. And in French: se ressembler comme deux gouttes d'eau. And these idioms, this turnover is not limited. There are many of them. You just need to delve into a foreign culture, and there is a mass of synonymous idioms.
Antonyms of phraseologism in Russian
The expression we are exploring means "similar." And which words are opposite in meaning? Here, such adjectives as different, different, contradictory will do . If we talk about nouns with the opposite meaning, then they include the words dissimilarity, difference, discrepancy.
You can also pick up and stable expression-antonyms to replace the phraseological unit "like two drops of water." Pictures - images of opposite meanings immediately pop up in the head in the form of two absolutely incompatible and dissimilar people, objects and phenomena. For example, heaven and earth. This is an excellent phraseologism-antonym for the expression studied in this article. After all, it means difference, not similarity.
Antonyms in English
The expression “like heaven and earth” is the opposite of the comparative phrase “like two drops of water”. Phraseologism is used by different peoples to denote absolute differences.
There are several idioms of this antonym in English. The first sounds like: as different as day and night. This is a figurative expression that literally translates as “different as day and night.” It is quite popular and is used quite often in the speech of foreigners.
The next idiom is be poles apart. It means "to be diametrically opposite." The Americans use this expression, meaning the phraseology "differ as heaven and earth." It is used in colloquial speech, and in literature, and in psychology.
The third option is polar opposites. It means the polar opposite. It is used when talking about completely different people and things.
Use of expression in the literature
Many phraseological units are used by writers and poets to give imagery to their works. It has already been mentioned that the origin of phraseology “as two drops of water” was associated by many with literature. However, the history of the appearance of this expression in speech is not connected with the writing work. Phraseologism "like two drops of water" origin is directly folk. And writers and poets, as you know, love to use such stable expressions. This fate also did not bypass the comparative turnover we are studying.
Let us cite as an example an excerpt from the novel “War and Peace” by Leo Tolstoy: “An evening was like two drops of water like every other evening with conversations, tea and lit candles.” Here, the revolution in question draws a dull, unremarkable twilight time before our eyes. We represent dreary people who spend their evening talking, drinking tea, and spend time on things that do not give them much pleasure.
There are many more examples of the use of this turnover in the literature. But this passage will be enough to understand how much more figurative the works become when they contain folk idioms.
Using expression in colloquial speech
The vocabulary of each educated person is enriched by sustainable turnovers, which people use from time to time depending on circumstances and surroundings. If we talk about the phraseological unit we are considering, then many people probably use it in their speech. And not by chance. After all, the expression “like two drops of water” has a popular origin, which means that this comparative turn is so close to us that it can sometimes be difficult to do without it. So they say when they notice the likeness not only of people, but also of some phenomena and objects.
As we see, the expression considered by us is popular both in Russian and in foreign languages, both in literature and in colloquial speech. It is easy to pick up synonyms and antonyms for it. It makes speech more imaginative and beautiful. And if you want to enrich your vocabulary, feel free to use such phraseological units. But before using them, familiarize yourself with their meanings, then you will definitely not be mistaken and you will not get into trouble.