Educational Discovery: 33 Steps Across Russia. Letter З

STEP 9

Letter З, з

The letter З is загадочная (mysterious) and звенящая (ringing)! The letter З and HED have some knowledge in store for you that will come in handy during your adaptation.

Origin of the name

In the Old Slavic alphabet created by Cyril and Methodius, the letter З stood for “zemlya” ("land," "earth" or “ground”) —a symbol of grounding and a firm connection between a person and the planet. Just as a tree draws nourishment from the earth through its roots, the Slavs believed that a person was similarly connected to their homeland. It is important for international students to feel a connection to the land they are moving to — and this is precisely what HED helps them with. The shape of the letter traces back to the Greek "zeta." Both the Latin letter Z and the Cyrillic letter З are derived from zeta. For many centuries, this letter has represented a ringing and vibrating sound, only changing its spelling. 

Dear traveler, take our advice: every step begins with a point of support—the ground. A foundation is what any story is built upon, including the story of your own life. Do not be afraid to seek out the ground to grow on.

Guide words starting with the letter З:

Зака́ливание (Zakalivanie/Developing resistance to the cold)

Strengthening your body, often using cold water

Заня́тие (Zanyatie/Lesson)

An organized process of acquiring knowledge and skills under the guidance of an educator

Златоу́ст (Zlatoust)

A city in Russia’s Chelyabinsk Region, included on the list of the country’s historical cities

Зóдчество (Zodchestvo/Art of building)

The art of designing and constructing buildings; the term is used to describe historical buildings

Зóлотое кольцó России́ (Zolotoe Kol'tso Rossii/The Golden Ring of Russia)

A popular tourist route

Зоолóгия (Zoologiya/Zoology)

A branch of biology that studies animals

Guide word

Заповедник (Zapovednik/Nature reserve)

This is a word that starts with the letter under study, a step word on your educational path.

The vibrant letter З is like a quick step into a fascinating world in need of protection.

The letter З opens the door to a nature reserve, a place where the natural world teaches us to show respect and to listen closely to our surroundings.

Заповедник

A nature reserve is an area where humans do not dominate, and which is under special state protection. Here, nature follows its own rules — and that is precisely what makes such places so fascinating to visit. Can you imagine that there are over 100 such sites in Russia? Each one is unique in its own way, with its own distinct landscape, scenery, and stories.

A nature trail through the taiga will quietly lead you to the dens of the local inhabitants — Barguzin sables — for whose sake Russia’s first nature reserve was established in 1916. The most adventurous and experienced travelers can get to Wrangel Island. It is a true haven for polar bears, filled with so many dens that it is practically an apartment complex for them. From 300 to 500 female polar bears enter their maternity dens here — can you imagine how busy these mama bears must be?

Take your time. In a nature reserve, you suddenly realize that there is no need to hurry — the most important things are often hidden in the smallest details. Scientists know this as well: it can take you an hour to run across a reserve or years to study just one tiny spider. Do you want to feel what it's like?

Nature reserves are places of exploration

Nature reserves evolve on their own, and the role of scientists is to analyze and document the discoveries made on this untouched land. Can you imagine that two entirely new species of fungi — Pholiotina longistipitata and Conocybe incerta — have been recently discovered in the Kronotsky Nature Reserve in Kamchatka? Now researchers are testing their edibility.

Moose Farms

In Russia, there are places where moose live in their natural habitat, and you can visit them to feed or even pet them. One of such places is the Caucasus Nature Reserve, where the freedom of wild animals is respected.

History of the word

The word “заповедник” has its own hidden history. When traveling, be sure to pause: the most fascinating discoveries are often made in silence.

“Zapovedayu!” ("I command!")—an ancient Russian edict would thunder, making people put down their ax. This was not a gentle suggestion, but an ironclad prohibition: logging was forbidden—the forest was under strict protection.

The word “zapovednik” originates from the Old Russian word “вѣдати” ("vědati"—"to know." In essence, the entire meaning is captured in a single phrase: “Know this: this land is inviolable!” That's how a prohibition has been transformed into a promise to protect.

The word “zapovednik” does not ask; it asserts. It stands firm, like a gatekeeper—the boundaries are set, and they are not to be debated. It is like a mature individual, calmly and confidently guarding what has been entrusted to their care. There is much to learn from a “заповедник”.

Today, the word “zapovednik” is not just about the protection of the forest, but also about the protection of all its inhabitants.

Fact

As of 2026, there are over 110 nature reserves in Russia.

The word “zapovednik” is derived from the word “zapoved”— meaning "commandment"— which reminds us that specific rules of conduct must be followed within the territory.

Galichya Gora (Galich Mountain) is the smallest nature reserve in the world and is listed in the Guinness World Records.

1916 — the Barguzinsky State Nature Reserve, the first of its kind in Russia, was established.

Tasks

Dear reader, we suggest that you:

1. Encode the sound. To complete this task, you will need a friend. Tell them you have a challenge from HED: they need to guess the words, while you pronounce the sounds only, placing special emphasis on the letter "З."

Here are some examples for you to start with: "Z-z-z-z"— it sounds like the flight of a bee or a fly. "Dz-dz-dz"— it sounds like a phone notification vibration…

2. Think of 10 words that start with the letter "З" and relate to your educational journey.

Let's start in Russian: значок, задача, задание, загадка...

Riddles

Dear reader, we suggest that you:

Guess the word and write it in your native language. Try to figure out what it is. The clue is in the picture.

The branch of science that studies animals. Its name comes from the Greek words “zoon” ("animal") and “logos” ("study").

How do you spell this word in your native language? Or perhaps you know how it is spelled in Russian?

Answer:

Зоология (Zoologiya/Zoology)

Word of the day

Зооценоз (Zootsenoz/Zoocenosis)

The entire community of animal populations living together within a specific geographic habitat and interacting with one another.

The letter "З" and the word "Заповедник" will take you to a new article from HED where you will get acquainted with the letter "И" and Ilya Muromets* himself. What do they have in store for travelers?

*Ilya Muromets is a hero of Russian oral epic poems.

How to perfect Russian? For the best life hacks, visit the Higher Education Discovery website.