Etymology
From Russian со́боль (sóbolʹ, “sable”),[1] from Old East Slavic соболь (sobolĭ).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈsopuli/, [ˈs̠o̞puli]
- Rhymes: -opuli
- Hyphenation(key): so‧pu‧li
Noun
sopuli
- lemming (several rodents in the family Cricetidae, especially those of the tribe Lemmini)
- lemming, true lemming (any rodent of the genus Lemmus)
- Norway lemming, Lemmus lemmus
Synonym: tunturisopuli - lemming (a member of a group given to conformity or groupthink; used especially of journalists)
Oh, we have a lot of those. Here’s a few from the top of my head:
Omata lehmän hermot / To have the nerves of a cow (a really calm person).
Lauhkea kuin lammas / As gentle as a sheep.
Viedä kuin pässiä narussa / Being lead around like a ram on a leash. (Stubborn as rams can be, they can be easily made to follow you if you don’t walk in a straight line. You have to make small curves on your way to distract the ram. A metaphor of apparent deception.)
Viekas kuin kettu / Cunning as a fox.
Olla kuin perseeseen ammuttu karhu / To be like bear who’s shot in the ass. (A truly pissed off person.)
Lämpö menee harakoille / The warmth goes to the magpies. (When a window or a door is kept open too long during cold weather.)