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What would be Russian slang equivalent of "This song slaps!" in the sense that it's excellent, really cool, fire?

The word "slap" for us native English speakers brings to mind the flat of the hand hitting something with force, but it can refer to any loose object striking something. The implication in "this song slaps", I would guess, is one of "slapping someone in the face from out of nowhere", which immediately captures your attention and produces an adrenaline rush. But its true etymology may be different.

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  • Comments have been moved to chat; please do not continue the discussion here. Before posting a comment below this one, please review the purposes of comments. Comments that do not request clarification or suggest improvements usually belong as an answer, on Russian Language Meta, or in Russian Language Chat. Comments continuing discussion may be removed.
    – Quassnoi
    Aug 10 at 19:16
  • @Quassnoi: Sorry, but "Englishers" would never write something like that. We instantly know that this isn't the physical meaning of slap because songs don't have hands. If you needed that explanation in this query for the sake of the Russians on here, you would've been better off writing it in Russian in my opinion, because that word doesn't bring to the minds of us native English speakers anything of the sort. I think this question is perfect without that paragraph. There's no etymology to speak of because it's simply a slang use of slap. Is that so hard to fathom?
    – CocoPop
    Aug 13 at 18:45
  • @CocoPop: I just copied verbatim what the op had posted in a comment, you'll have to bring it up with them
    – Quassnoi
    Aug 13 at 18:47
  • @Quassnoi: In the comments as an explanation to the Russians. But in the query itself, it makes her sound obtuse and NON-native. Why would I speak to her? YOU added it.
    – CocoPop
    Aug 13 at 18:48
  • @CocoPop: because it's their words, which belong in the post body, not in the comments. I just copy-pasted them, not changing a single iota. Comments are for post improvement suggestions. There is no reason the op would want to suggest improvements to their own post because they are always able to edit it directly, so I just assumed they were not familiar with the site mechanics and did it for them. We do it all the time.
    – Quassnoi
    Aug 13 at 18:55

2 Answers 2

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Two Russian slang phrases occur to me:

Эта песня — огонь!

Эта песня жжёт!

On the more vulgar side, I've also seen the form охуенный [derived from хуй cock, so use at your own peril] used to refer to something cool, but don't know if it would apply to a song. I'd imagine it to be along the lines of "This song is the shit!"

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    'don't know if it would apply to a song' -- it would, indeed. The OP should be aware, however, that 'охуенный' might be considered inappropriate in some settings (like addressing a 5 years old, for example). After all, it's profanity.
    – Igor G
    Aug 10 at 21:38
  • @IgorG: Hence, on the more vulgar side... 😉
    – CocoPop
    Aug 10 at 22:39
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    @CocoPop It disappoints me that I'm more familiar with the Russian vulgar words and phrases to avoid than I am with its acquisition because I can't find the time to devote to learning and conversing 😞
    – AMDG
    Aug 13 at 2:48
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    We also say "This song is fire!" and "This song is lit!", so pretty literal there. Not sure about "banger" though which I'm once again guessing is in the sense of "head-banger" as you might observe at a metal or rock concert. Consider this real banger for example courtesy of kitboga: youtu.be/P9-SUS1j1vE
    – AMDG
    Aug 13 at 2:52
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    Возможно ли сказать за предложением, "This song goes hard", что-то как "Эта песня собирается сильно"?
    – AMDG
    Aug 16 at 18:46
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There are lots of expressions meaning "of excellent quality". I like полный улёт and чума, or высший класс (it depends on who's speaking, for the most part).

Чума - Восклицание, обозначающее высшую степень восторга от чего-либо. Например, "вечеринка - просто чума!". чума < Молодежный сленг < Словарь сленга slanger.ru

вокабула.рф›словари/молодежный-сленг/улет Улет, м. значение: полное удовлетворение. пример текста: Какой улет! синонимы: кайф. Молодежный сленг.

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  • But are they slang equivalents? That's the question.
    – CocoPop
    Aug 14 at 12:47
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    When there is a question, there should be an answer.
    – V.V.
    Aug 14 at 18:58
  • So the whole phrase is "полный улёт и чума", or you like both полный улёт AND чума?
    – CocoPop
    Aug 15 at 15:50

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