Significado
to rely on someone for support
Contexto cultural
The concept of 'parasitism' was legally punished in the USSR. Famous poet Joseph Brodsky was even exiled for it. This history makes the idiom 'сидеть на шее' feel particularly sharp. In many Post-Soviet countries, it is culturally expected for parents to support children until they finish university, but 'neck-sitting' after that is heavily stigmatized. There is a growing trend of 'freelancing' which older generations sometimes mistake for 'neck-sitting' because there is no traditional office job. Classic 19th-century novels often feature 'superfluous men' who essentially live on the 'necks' of their wealthy relatives or the labor of peasants.
Be careful with friends
Calling a friend a 'neck-sitter' is a very fast way to end the friendship. It's a strong insult.
Use with 'ножки свесил'
To sound like a native, add 'и ножки свесил' when describing someone particularly lazy and unashamed.
Significado
to rely on someone for support
Be careful with friends
Calling a friend a 'neck-sitter' is a very fast way to end the friendship. It's a strong insult.
Use with 'ножки свесил'
To sound like a native, add 'и ножки свесил' when describing someone particularly lazy and unashamed.
The 'Eternal Student'
In Russia, being a student is often a valid excuse not to work, but once you graduate, the 'neck-sitting' label applies immediately.
Grammar check
Remember: 'у' + Genitive. It's never 'на шее родителей', always 'на шее У родителей'.
Teste-se
Fill in the correct form of the person being sat upon (Genitive case).
Ему 40 лет, а он всё ещё сидит на шее у (родители).
After 'у' we must use the Genitive case. 'Родителей' is the Genitive plural of 'родители'.
Which verb completes the idiom to show the *start* of the dependency?
Он потерял бизнес и сразу ___ на шею своей сестре.
The perfective verb 'сел' (sat down) indicates the moment he became a burden.
Match the phrase to the most likely situation.
Phrase: 'Хватит сидеть у меня на шее!'
This is a classic informal expression of frustration with a dependent family member.
Complete the dialogue with the correct idiom.
— Почему ты злишься на брата? — Потому что он не работает и уже год ___.
'Сидеть на шее' means to be a burden, which fits the context of not working.
🎉 Pontuação: /4
Recursos visuais
Formal vs. Informal
Banco de exercicios
4 exerciciosЕму 40 лет, а он всё ещё сидит на шее у (родители).
After 'у' we must use the Genitive case. 'Родителей' is the Genitive plural of 'родители'.
Он потерял бизнес и сразу ___ на шею своей сестре.
The perfective verb 'сел' (sat down) indicates the moment he became a burden.
Phrase: 'Хватит сидеть у меня на шее!'
This is a classic informal expression of frustration with a dependent family member.
— Почему ты злишься на брата? — Потому что он не работает и уже год ___.
'Сидеть на шее' means to be a burden, which fits the context of not working.
🎉 Pontuação: /4
Perguntas frequentes
10 perguntasYes, it is quite critical. It's not a swear word, but it's a strong accusation of laziness and exploitation.
Yes, parents use it all the time to motivate their children to find jobs, but it's usually for adult children (18+).
There isn't a single idiom, but you could say 'быть независимым' (to be independent) or 'кормить семью' (to feed the family).
Absolutely not. It's too informal and emotional. Use 'финансовая зависимость' instead.
Mostly money, but it can also apply to someone who lets others do all the work in a group project.
It adds the image of someone dangling their legs comfortably, showing they have no intention of getting off the person's neck.
You could say 'быть на иждивении', which is the neutral, legal term for being a dependent.
Yes, if he is not working and she is paying for everything, she might say he is sitting on her neck.
You would say 'слезть с шеи'. For example: 'Пора тебе слезть с моей шеи!'
Yes, many Russian rock and rap songs use it to describe social issues or bad relationships.
Frases relacionadas
жить за чужой счёт
synonymto live at someone else's expense
нахлебник
similara freeloader / sponger
альфонс
specialized forma gigolo / man supported by a woman
тянуть лямку
contrastto toil / do the hard work
