معنی
A very small amount.
زمینه فرهنگی
The sea is a powerful symbol in Russian literature, often representing fate or the infinite. Using this idiom connects the speaker to this grand tradition of scale. During the Soviet period, this phrase was often used in propaganda to show how small individual efforts were compared to the 'Great Construction' of the state, though it was also used by citizens to complain about shortages. In modern Russian startups, the phrase is frequently used to describe market share. A small company might describe its presence in the global market as a 'drop in the sea'. The phrase appears in many religious texts and sermons to describe human sins versus God's mercy, or human life versus eternity.
Use it for emphasis
Add 'лишь' (only) before the phrase to sound more like a native speaker when complaining about something being too small.
Don't pluralize
Never say 'капли в морях'. Idioms are fixed blocks of language. Changing the number makes it sound like a literal description of rain.
معنی
A very small amount.
Use it for emphasis
Add 'лишь' (only) before the phrase to sound more like a native speaker when complaining about something being too small.
Don't pluralize
Never say 'капли в морях'. Idioms are fixed blocks of language. Changing the number makes it sound like a literal description of rain.
Context is key
While it's neutral, using it in a very formal legal document might be too poetic. Stick to news, business, and conversation.
خودت رو بسنج
Complete the idiom with the correct word in the correct case.
Его помощь — это всего лишь капля в ____.
The preposition 'в' requires the Prepositional case for location. 'Море' is the correct form.
Which situation best fits the idiom 'капля в море'?
Выберите ситуацию:
The idiom describes something that is not enough for a large group or problem.
Complete the dialogue.
— Мы собрали 1000 рублей на ремонт школы. — Но ремонт стоит миллион! Твои деньги — это ...
1000 rubles is insignificant compared to a million, making it a 'drop in the sea'.
Match the phrase to the meaning.
Что значит 'капля в море'?
It means a very small, insignificant amount.
🎉 امتیاز: /4
ابزارهای بصری یادگیری
بانک تمرین
4 تمرینهاЕго помощь — это всего лишь капля в ____.
The preposition 'в' requires the Prepositional case for location. 'Море' is the correct form.
Выберите ситуацию:
The idiom describes something that is not enough for a large group or problem.
— Мы собрали 1000 рублей на ремонт школы. — Но ремонт стоит миллион! Твои деньги — это ...
1000 rubles is insignificant compared to a million, making it a 'drop in the sea'.
Что значит 'капля в море'?
It means a very small, insignificant amount.
🎉 امتیاز: /4
سوالات متداول
10 سوالYes, it is understood and used, but 'капля в море' is the traditional and much more common version.
It can be if you are dismissing their hard work. Saying 'Your help is a drop in the sea' might hurt someone's feelings. Use it carefully.
There isn't a single direct idiom, but you could say 'целое море' (a whole sea) or 'огромное количество' (a huge amount).
Figuratively, no. It can be about money, time, people, or any quantifiable resource.
Russian culture and language history favored the vastness of the sea as the ultimate comparison for scale.
Yes, very often. 'Our budget for marketing is a drop in the sea compared to Google's.'
No, it's better for abstract amounts or quantities. For size, use 'крошечный' (tiny).
Not at all. It is used daily in modern Russian news and social media.
K-A-P-L-Y-A (капля). Don't forget the soft sign sound at the end.
A more colorful (but slightly vulgar) version is 'как слону дробина'.
عبارات مرتبط
Кот наплакал
synonymVery little (literally: a cat cried it)
С гулькин нос
synonymTiny amount (literally: like a pigeon's beak)
По пальцам пересчитать
similarCan be counted on one's fingers
Океан возможностей
contrastAn ocean of opportunities
