зая

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Russian

Etymology

Back-formation from за́яц (zájac, hare).

Pronunciation

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Noun

за́я (zájaf anim or m anim (genitive за́и, nominative plural за́и, genitive plural зай)

  1. (colloquial, childish, endearing) hare, bunny
    • 1922, М. А. Бекетова, В цепях тягостной свободы…:
      Са́ша пятиле́тний сочиня́л стихи́ в тако́м ро́де: За́я се́рый, за́я ми́лый, Я тебя́ люблю́.
      Sáša pjatilétnij sočinjál stixí v takóm róde: Zája séryj, zája mílyj, Ja tebjá ljubljú.
      The five-year-old Sasha composed poems of this sort: Grey bunny, dear bunny, I love you.
  2. (colloquial, endearing) baby, honey, sweetie (a term of affection for a lover or a child)
    • 1942, Т. К. Великотная, Дневник:
      «За́я дорога́я, ― я залила́сь слеза́ми, ты меня́ не ви́дишь, не отвеча́ешь мне!»
      «Zája dorogája, ― ja zalilásʹ slezámi, ty menjá ne vídišʹ, ne otvečáješʹ mne!»
      “My dear baby, I said with tears rolling down my cheeks, you don't see me, you don't reply to me!”

Declension