# мускул vs. мышца



## Encolpius

Hello, what is the difference between those two words? Thanks.


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## Q-cumber

No difference. However,  in singular form мышца sounds a bit better to me.


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## Encolpius

Maybe a context would be good. Look at his muscles! (when a man is a body builder type)
Can you say: Взглядни на его мускулы / мышцы!


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## Rosett

Encolpius said:


> Can you say: Взгляни на его мускулы / мышцы!


This is correct. However, in anatomy of vertebrates, only мышца is a valid medical term, while in insects and oysters, for example, it's мускул. Beyond the field of biology, both are fairly interchangeable in general, with мускул meaning rather visibly trained muscles.


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## Q-cumber

Encolpius said:


> Maybe a context would be good. Look at his muscles! (when a man is a body builder type)
> Can you say: ВзглЯни на его мускулы / мышцы!


 Yes, both variants are fine. Накачать мышцы / мускулы. 
  We've got some muscle-related fixed sayings in Russian: "ни один мускул не дрогнул на его лице" (he shows no emotions).


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## Q-cumber

Rosett said:


> This is correct. However, in anatomy, only мышца is a valid medical term. Beyond that field, both are fairly equal in general, with мускул meaning rather visibly trained muscles.


Actually correct medical term would be Latin 'musculus'. Russian 'мускул' is also listed in medical dictionaries. However, мышца is much more wide-spread in medicine, indeed.


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## Encolpius

Q-cumber said:


> Yes, both variants are fine. *Накачать мышцы / мускулы*...



Could you write me an example sentence with that colloquation from everyday life?


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## Rosett

Q-cumber said:


> Actually correct medical term would be Latin 'musculus'. Russian 'мускул' is also listed in medical dictionaries. However, мышца is much more wide-spread in medicine, indeed.


Anatomy terms exist in Russian, as well, and when they are translated from Latin, musculus means literally "little mouse", or мышка (compare with "подмышки".) Мускул is a simply transliterated "musculus."


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## Rosett

Encolpius said:


> Could you write me an example sentence with that colloquation from everyday life?


Поиграть мускулами.
"Кремль впервые _*поиграл мускулами*_ на Дальнем Востоке."
"Путин _*поиграл мускулами*_ на кельнском карнавале."
«Спарту» отправили в аптеку. Как ЦСКА _*поиграл мускулами*_ перед еврокубками.
«Рубин» приятно _*поиграл мускулами*_ на родине Шварценеггера.


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## rusita preciosa

I think while the two words are mostly interchangeable,* мышцы* tends to be used more in medical contexts and when describing functions of the body; while *мускулы *tends to be used more in the context of fitness/appearance.


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## Q-cumber

Encolpius said:


> Could you write me an example sentence with that colloquation from everyday life?


Чтобы накачать мышцы (мускулы), надо регулярно тренироваться. Вася здОрово накачался за последний год. Родион начал качать мышцы ещё в армии. Его накачанные мышцы не могла скрыть даже просторная одежда.  Тебе надо подкачать дельтовидные мышцы (дельты). Никита качал широчайшие, делая тягу одной рукой. Ему надо немного подкачать мышцы.


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## Encolpius

Thank you all and Q-cumber for the examples.


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## Q-cumber

Encolpius said:


> Thank you all and Q-cumber for the examples.


Not at all. By the way, while writing the examples I decided that I liked the word "мышцы" more. That would be the first-choice-word for me in most muscle related sentences.


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## lena55313

In my view, these two words are slightly different.
1. *Мускулы* is more narrow word than *мышцы*. A word *мышцы *encompasses a word *мускулы*.* Мускулы* - are big and strong *мышцы* especially in arms, especially if they are biceps . It sounds strangely when somebody say: *мускулы* на ногах
2. *мышцы *could be weak, *мускулы - *always strong

Examples:
Мышцы. У него икроножные *мышцы* слабые, надо подкачать. or
Он был прикован к постели 2 месяца, все *мышцы* опали.

Мускулы: У него такие *мускулы*!!! Обалдеть!!! (Девушка восхищается фигурой парня)


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## Q-cumber

lena55313 said:


> Мускулы: У него такие *мускулы*!!! Обалдеть!!! (Девушка восхищается фигурой парня)


У него такие *мышцы! *Обалдеть!  Does it sound any worse?


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## lena55313

Q-cumber said:


> У него такие *мышцы! *Обалдеть! Does it sound any worse?


For me it sounds little bit anatomically. It's not an admiration but how... I just want to use this guy as a porter. But If I say  У него такие *мускулы*!!!  probably i want to use him in another way)))


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## Q-cumber

lena55313 said:


> For me it sounds little bit anatomically. It's not an admiration but how... I just want to use this guy as a porter. But If I say  У него такие *мускулы*!!!  probably i want to use him in another way)))


I afraid this is just a matter of personal preference.


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## lena55313

Q-cumber said:


> this is just a matter of personal preference.


yes, it's just how i feel these two words personally)))


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