мир
mir[mʲir]masculine
The Russian word for peace is мир (mir).
мир refers to the state of being free from war. In certain contexts, the word is polysemous and can also mean the entire world.
Meaning: state of being free from war (noun)
Which one should you use?
The word мир can mean both 'peace' and 'world' depending on the context.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain regional dialects or historical contexts, рай is used to express peace, historically referring to a paradise or utopia.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the word changes depending on the prepositions used. When used with the preposition в (in), the form becomes мире. When used with the preposition к (to/towards), the form becomes миру. The genitive form мира is used to indicate possession/relation or after certain prepositions.
How do you pronounce it?
mir
Did you know?
- In traditional Russian village life, a мир was not just a state of peace, but the actual name for the peasant commune that collectively managed land and resources.
- Before the 1918 spelling reform, Russian used different letters to write the word for 'peace' and the word for 'world' so they would not be confused, even though they sounded identical.
- Russian has a unique way of expressing the phrase 'world peace' by using the word мир twice in different senses, which can sound like a repetition of the same word to a learner.
Examples in context
- Мы живём в мире.We live in peace.This sentence shows how to use the prepositional case form мире after the preposition в.Tatoeba #1449452 by Biga, translation #249344 by CM
- Это путь к миру.That's the road to peace.This sentence demonstrates how to use the form миру to express a path toward peace.Tatoeba #12695986 by marafon, translation #13909393 by rul
- Мы пришли с миром.We come in peace.This sentence shows the use of the form миром to express coming with peaceful intentions.Tatoeba #2903941 by odexed, translation #2903736 by Hybrid
- Государственный деятель поблагодарил всех за участие в установлении мира в регионе.The statesman thanked everyone for their participation in establishing peace in the region.
- Давай соберемся вместе и проведем вечер в спокойствии.Let's get together and spend the evening in peace.
- Деревня моих предков всегда символизировала рай и спокойствие.The village of my ancestors has always symbolized paradise and peace.
- 238 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing the news in a park.
- Мария MariaДмитрий, ты читаешь новости?Dmitriy, ty chitayesh' novosti?Dmitry, are you reading the news?
- Дмитрий DmitryДа, Мария, все говорят про мир.Da, Mariya, vse govoryat pro mir.Yes, Maria, everyone is talking about peace.
- Мария MariaНам очень нужен мир сейчас.Nam ochen' nuzhen mir seychas.We really need peace right now.
- Дмитрий DmitryЯ тоже этого очень жду.Ya tozhe etogo ochen' zhdu.I am also waiting for it very much.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “peace” translations and entries мир, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries мир, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
