뜻
Used when there is a very small quantity of something.
문화적 배경
The idiom is often used with a specific 'Russian sigh'—a sign of resignation to the fact that things aren't as abundant as they should be. Older generations use this phrase frequently when recalling the 'deficit' years, though now it's applied to quality rather than quantity. In Russian intellectual circles, this phrase is used to lament the lack of 'true' experts or deep thinkers in modern society. In villages, this is used to describe the dwindling population as young people move to cities.
Use for emphasis
Add a sigh or a shrug when saying this to sound 100% like a native speaker.
Don't change the ending
Never say 'обчёлись' or 'обчёлась'. It's always 'обчёлся'.
뜻
Used when there is a very small quantity of something.
Use for emphasis
Add a sigh or a shrug when saying this to sound 100% like a native speaker.
Don't change the ending
Never say 'обчёлись' or 'обчёлась'. It's always 'обчёлся'.
Irony is key
This phrase is often used ironically to point out that something expected to be abundant is actually scarce.
Countable vs Uncountable
While it works for both, it's most powerful when describing things you can literally count (people, books, mistakes).
셀프 테스트
Fill in the missing idiom to complete the sentence.
В нашей библиотеке новых книг — ________.
The sentence implies a lack of new books, making the idiom for scarcity the correct choice.
Which sentence uses the idiom correctly?
Choose the correct usage:
The idiom typically follows the noun it describes and acts as a predicate.
Match the situation to the most appropriate response.
You go to a store and see only two withered carrots on the shelf.
The idiom perfectly describes a pitifully small selection.
Complete the dialogue.
— Ты пойдёшь на концерт? — Нет, там интересных групп...
The 'Нет' at the beginning suggests a negative reason, so 'very few' fits best.
🎉 점수: /4
시각 학습 자료
Few vs. Very Few
연습 문제 은행
4 연습 문제В нашей библиотеке новых книг — ________.
The sentence implies a lack of new books, making the idiom for scarcity the correct choice.
Choose the correct usage:
The idiom typically follows the noun it describes and acts as a predicate.
You go to a store and see only two withered carrots on the shelf.
The idiom perfectly describes a pitifully small selection.
— Ты пойдёшь на концерт? — Нет, там интересных групп...
The 'Нет' at the beginning suggests a negative reason, so 'very few' fits best.
🎉 점수: /4
자주 묻는 질문
10 질문Yes, but 'кот наплакал' is slightly more common for money. However, 'денег раз-два и обчёлся' is perfectly fine and very common.
No, it's not rude, but it is informal. It's a common way to complain among friends or family.
In this idiom, it means 'finished counting because there's nothing left'. In other contexts, 'обсчитаться' means to make a mistake.
Only if you have a very close, informal relationship with the person. Otherwise, use 'недостаточно'.
Yes, it specifically implies the number is so small it's like counting to one or two.
The opposite would be 'хоть отбавляй' or 'пруд пруди' (more than enough).
Yes! 'Времени осталось раз-два и обчёлся' is a very common way to say you are in a rush.
In writing, people often use 'е' instead of 'ё', but the pronunciation always uses the 'yo' sound.
Because 'one-two' is the shortest possible count before you realize there's nothing left. It emphasizes the extreme scarcity.
Yes, many Russian rock and pop songs use it to describe loneliness or lack of options.
관련 표현
Кот наплакал
synonymVery little (usually of uncountable things)
По пальцам пересчитать
synonymCan be counted on fingers
Всего ничего
similarHardly anything
Пруд пруди
contrastA huge amount
С гулькин нос
similarTiny amount
Капля в море
builds onA drop in the ocean
