яд
jad[jat]masculine
The Russian word for poison is яд (jad). Wiktionary also lists отра́ва (otráva).
Meaning: substance harmful to a living organism (noun)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| яд | jad | [jat] (narrow) | masculine |
| отра́ва | otráva | feminine |
Both яд and отра́ва refer to a substance harmful to a living organism. They can also be used metaphorically to describe something harmful to the soul or character, such as 'the poison of envy'.
Which one should you use?
The feminine form отра́ва is more common in everyday speech and often refers to something that is poisonous to eat or drink, like spoiled food or a toxic plant.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
яд is a masculine noun and follows standard masculine declension patterns, whereas отра́ва is a feminine noun and follows standard feminine declension patterns.
How do you pronounce it?
jad
Did you know?
- The word яд shares a deep historical connection with the English word 'eat', as both originate from the same ancient Proto-Indo-European root related to consuming food.
- While отра́ва means 'poison', its root is related to the word трава, meaning 'grass' or 'herb'. This reflects a historical connection between herbal remedies and toxic plants.
- A Russian speaker might use the word отра́вление to describe a person being 'poisoned', but this word is also the standard way to say someone has 'food poisoning'.
Examples in context
- Что это за яд?What kind of poison is this?This sentence is useful for asking about the identity of a specific poison using яд.Tatoeba #8680372 by marafon, translation #12108120 by CK
- Сахар – это яд?Is sugar a poison?This sentence is useful for questioning if a substance like sugar is considered a poison using яд.Tatoeba #5203233 by marafon, translation #5201662 by Hybrid
- Мышьяк это яд.Arsenic is a poison.This sentence is useful for stating a factual property of arsenic using яд.Tatoeba #7878490 by odexed, translation #7733763 by CK
- Этот препарат содержит яд.This medication contains poison.
- 69 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A scientist shows a sample to his colleague in a lab.
- Александр AleksandrЭтот яд очень опасен.Etot yad ochen' opasen.This poison is very dangerous.
- Анастасия AnastasiaКак нам его хранить?Kak nam yego khranit'?How should we store it?
- Александр AleksandrНужно использовать закрытый контейнер.Nuzhno ispol'zovat' zakrytyy konteyner.We need to use a closed container.
- Анастасия AnastasiaХорошо, я всё подготовлю.Khorosho, ya vsyo podgotovlyu.Okay, I will prepare everything.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “poison” translations and entries яд, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries яд, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
