Words in Russian

[Germanophile22]

For one Duolingo question, when it asked me to translate "bear" to Russian, I typed мишка, though Duolingo says it's медве́дь. Is there a difference, though? I don't see how I could still be correct.

[Natra-Natra]

Уes, мишка is diminutive version of медведь. When you meet a bear in the forest, it will be медведь. When somebody gives you a teddy bear it will be плюшевый мишка. The bear on my userpic is kinda мишка too ))) Feel the difference, using Google Images.

By the way, diminutive name of Михаил is Миша, not мишка.

[Borisische]

мишка is diminutive name of Михаил.
Russians sometimes use it as an euphemism of медве́дь but мишка is not a synonym of медве́дь