жнец
žnec[ʐnʲet͡s]masculine
The English word "reaper" is translated into Russian as жнец (žnec).
The term refers to one who reaps.
Meaning: one who reaps (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine noun жнец changes to жнеца in the genitive case (for example, when expressing "of the reaper"). The plural form of the word is жнецы.
How do you pronounce it?
žnec
When do people say it?
In Russian, the phrase Мрачный жнец is the standard way to refer to the personification of death known as the Grim Reaper.
Did you know?
- In traditional Russian folklore, death was often personified as a rider or a skeletal figure, but the specific image of the Мрачный жнец with a scythe is a later Western import that became standardized in translations.
- While жнец is the term for a reaper, the verb жать means both 'to reap' and 'to squeeze'. This linguistic overlap allows for poetic wordplay in Russian literature between the act of harvesting and the pressure of fate.
- In Russian, the tool used by a жнец is a серп (sickle). While a scythe is common in English depictions of the Grim Reaper, the sickle is the more historically authentic tool for the Russian peasantry.
Examples in context
- Мрачный Жнец медленно протянул правую руку к Янни.The Grim Reaper slowly extended his right arm towards Yanni.This sentence shows the use of жнец in a literary context describing the Grim Reaper.Tatoeba #11761368 by Setup, translation #9361024 by Amastan
- Жнец собирает урожайThe reaper gathers the harvest.
- Этот жнец работает на поле с утра.Etot zhnets rabotayet na pole s utra.This reaper has been working in the field since morning.
- Старый жнец собрал весь урожай пшеницы.Staryy zhnets sobral ves' urozhay pshenitsy.The old reaper harvested the entire wheat crop.
Example conversation
Ekaterina and Dmitriy are looking at a classical painting.
- Екатерина EkaterinaКто этот человек на картине?Kto etot chelovek na kartine?Who is this person in the painting?
- Дмитрий DmitryЭто жнец, он собирает урожай.Eto zhnets, on sobirayet urozhay.This is a reaper, he is gathering the harvest.
- Екатерина EkaterinaОн выглядит очень уставшим.On vyglyadit ochen ustavshim.He looks very tired.
- Дмитрий DmitryРабота жнеца всегда была тяжёлой.Rabota zhnetsa vsegda byla tyazhёloy.A reaper's work was always hard.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “reaper” translations and entries жнец, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
