това́рищ

fairly common #1512B1

nounmasculineanimatecountable

1.
comrade, friend, companion, mate
Он мой ста́рый това́рищ.
He is an old friend of mine.
General word for a close friend or someone you share activities with.
2.
comradepolitics
Това́рищи, прошу́ тишины́!
Comrades, quiet please!
Soviet-era form of address; also to a Party member or in the army before a rank.
3.
colleague
Мой това́рищ по рабо́те помо́г мне.
My colleague at work helped me.
Usually with по: това́рищ по рабо́те 'colleague'.

Examples

Он вспоминал о бражничавших товарищах со стыдом.
He recalled his carousing companions with shame.
Хоро́ший у вас план, това́рищ Жуко́в.
You have a good plan, Comrade Zhukov.
Захромавший турист попросил помощи у товарищей.
The tourist, having begun to limp, asked his companions for help.
Друзья́ Тома - замеча́тельные ро́слые лю́ди, добросо́вестные рабо́тники и хоро́шие това́рищи, но крайне глу́пые.
Tom's friends are magnificent, tall men, willing workers and good comrades, but extremely stupid.
Гусь свинье́ не това́рищ.
Oil and water don't mix.
Солдат, застреливший врага, спас товарищей.
The soldier who shot the enemy saved his comrades.
Това́рищ Сато практику́ет стрельбу́ из лука по выходны́м.
Mr. Sato practices archery on weekends.
Раненый, прикрываемый товарищами, добрался до укрытия.
The wounded man, shielded by his comrades, reached the shelter.