Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| охра́нник | oxránnik | |
| стра́жник m old use | strážnik | |
| стра́ж | stráž | masculine |
| сто́рож | stórož | masculine |
| конвои́р | konvoír | masculine |
| часово́й | časovój | masculine |
| карау́льный | karaúlʹnyj | masculine |
The terms in this list refer to a person or thing that protects something. While охра́нник refers to the individual person, the related noun охра́на refers to the security service or the act of guarding.
Which one should you use?
The specific word you choose depends on the context of the protection. сто́рож typically refers to a low-level watchman or caretaker of a specific property, like a warehouse or a school. конвои́р specifically refers to a guard who escorts prisoners or a convoy. In a military context, часово́й is used for a soldier on sentry duty or standing guard at a specific post. стра́ж is a high-register, poetic or archaic term used in literature to mean a guardian or sentinel.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
стра́ж is a high-register, poetic or archaic term used in literature. стра́жник is an old use.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
oxránnik
Did you know?
- While охра́нник is a common word for 'guard', the term охра́на was the name of the infamous secret police of the Russian Empire.
- The word часово́й is derived from час, meaning 'hour', because a sentry is assigned to a post for a specific shift or hour.
- The term конвои́р is a loanword from French, which entered the language when the Russian military adopted Western European terms for prisoner transport.
Examples in context
- Вечером страж охраняет замок.In the evening, the guard protects the castle.
- Охранник вежливо проверил наши пропуска.The guard politely checked our passes.
- Сторож был очень внимателен и следил за каждым приближающимся автомобилем.The guard was very attentive, watching every approaching vehicle.
- Охра́нник стои́т у вхо́да.Okhrannik stoit u vkhoda.The guard is standing at the entrance.
- Э́тот охра́нник рабо́тает здесь де́сять лет.Etot okhrannik rabotayet zdes' desyat' let.This guard has been working here for ten years.
- Охра́нник прове́рил мои́ докуме́нты.Okhrannik proveril moi dokumenty.The guard checked my documents.
Example conversation
Alexander and Maria are entering a secure building.
- Александр AleksandrГде здесь охра́нник?Gde zdes okhrannik?Where is the guard here?
- Мария MariaОн сидит за тем столом.On sidit za tem stolom.He is sitting at that desk.
- Александр AleksandrЯ пойду покажу ему паспорт.Ya poidu pokazhu emu pasport.I will go show him my passport.
- Мария MariaХорошо, я подожду тебя тут.Khorosho, ya podozhdu tebya tut.Okay, I will wait for you here.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “guard” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
