Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| дно | dno | [dno] (narrow) | neuter |
| низ | niz | [nʲis] (narrow) | masculine |
| ни́жняя часть | nížnjaja častʹ | feminine |
Russian uses different words to describe the 'bottom' depending on whether you are referring to a physical surface, a position in a hierarchy or a part of the anatomy. дно refers to the bottom of a liquid-filled container or a body of water. низ refers to the lowest point, level or part of an object. The plural form низы is often used metaphorically to refer to the lower social classes or the bottom of a social hierarchy.
Which one should you use?
Use дно when referring to the bottom of a sea, river, lake or a vessel such as a cup or a bottle. Use низ when referring to the lowest part of an object, a physical position like the bottom of a page or a tower or a level within a hierarchy. ни́жняя часть is a more descriptive way to say 'lower part'.
How does it change in a sentence?
дно is a neuter noun. низ is a masculine noun. ни́жняя часть is a feminine phrase.
How do you pronounce it?
dno
Did you know?
- The word дно is used in the expression пробить дно, which means to sink even lower than what was previously thought to be the absolute bottom.
- The word дно is used as a harsh insult to describe a person who has lost all dignity or moral standing.
- The Russian word for the bottom of a container, дно, shares the same ancient root as the English word 'deep'.
Examples in context
- Том начинал с самых низов.Tom started at the very bottom.This sentence uses the form низ to show starting at a very low level.Tatoeba #8916806 by yatomoya, translation #6922413 by Hybrid
- Мой дом в самом низу башни.My home is at the bottom of this tower.This sentence uses the form низ to describe a position at the base of a tower.Tatoeba #11128072 by Ooneykcall, translation #11118971 by jjtats
- Корабль погрузился на дно моря.The ship sank to the bottom of the sea.This sentence uses the form дно to describe the bottom of the sea.Tatoeba #3018372 by odexed, translation #273437 by CM
- 10 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ekaterina and Sergey are looking at a fish tank.
- Екатерина EkaterinaПосмотри, там что-то лежит на дне.Posmotri, tam chto-to lezhit na dne.Look, there is something lying on the bottom.
- Сергей SergeyЭто просто старый камень.Eto prosto staryy kamen.It is just an old stone.
- Екатерина EkaterinaМне кажется, дно нужно почистить.Mne kazhetsya, dno nuzhno pochistit.I think the bottom needs to be cleaned.
- Сергей SergeyХорошо, я сделаю это завтра.Khorosho, ya sdelayu eto zavtra.Okay, I will do it tomorrow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bottom” translations and entries дно, низ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries дно, низ, часть, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
