жлоб (zhlob)
What does жлоб (zhlob) mean? жлоб (zhlob) is a Russian moderate that translates to “cheapskate / boor / redneck” in English.
Literal Translation
no clear etymology (possibly from Yiddish)
Meaning & Usage
"cheapskate / boor / redneck"
A greedy, crude, uncultured person — someone who lacks both generosity and manners. A жлоб tips 0% at a restaurant, wears a tracksuit to the opera, and sees nothing wrong with either. It's a class-based insult targeting vulgarity and stinginess simultaneously.
Examples in the Wild
About someone who split a restaurant bill to the exact kopek: 'Какой жлоб' (What a cheapskate).
When to Use It
Context
- Casual conversations with friends
- Informal settings where profanity is accepted
- Direct confrontation (use with caution)
Avoid
- Professional or formal settings
- Job interviews, meetings, or customer-facing situations
Cultural Context
Possibly borrowed from Yiddish 'zhlob' through Ukrainian, though the etymology is debated. In Soviet times, it described someone who hoarded goods or cut corners. In modern Russian, it's expanded to mean anyone who is culturally crude and tight-fisted. The word carries a specific post-Soviet energy — the 'new Russian' stereotype of the 1990s (gold chains, track suits, zero taste) is peak жлоб.
More in Russian 🇷🇺
View all →идиот (idiot)
“idiot”
Same word, same meaning, borrowed from Greek via French like its English counterpart. But in Russian it has a literary weight that the English version lacks — Dostoevsky's novel 'Идиот' (The Idiot, 1869) gave the word a philosophical dimension. Prince Myshkin is the 'idiot' — genuinely good in a world that considers goodness stupid.
ёпт (yopt)
“fuck / shit”
A truncated exclamation — essentially the first syllable of 'ёб твою мать' bitten off at the moment of impact. It's what comes out when you stub your toe and don't have time for the full phrase. Technically still мат, but its brevity makes it feel slightly milder — like how 'sh-' cut off is softer than 'shit.'
долбоёб (dolboyob)
“dumbfuck / moron / idiot”
Idiot; stupid person; someone who 'fucks logs' (долбить = to chop/peck).
сука (suka)
“bitch / traitor / snitch”
Bitch (female dog); treacherous person; prison informant.
кретин (kretin)
“cretin / moron”
Another medical-term-turned-insult, borrowed from French like its English equivalent. In Russian, it sits at roughly the same severity as 'дебил' but sounds slightly more educated — the kind of insult an academic uses when they want to call someone stupid without sounding low-class themselves.
ёбаный (yobanyy)
“fucking / goddamn”
The all-purpose Russian adjective for expressing frustration, derived from 'ебать.' It works exactly like English 'fucking' as a modifier — 'ёбаный компьютер' (fucking computer), 'ёбаный дождь' (fucking rain). The word itself has a satisfying three-syllable weight that makes it feel more substantial than a quick exclamation.
чмо (chmo)
“loser / pathetic person”
A crushing insult meaning someone is pathetic, worthless, and socially beneath contempt. The word sounds as unpleasant as its meaning — the 'чм' consonant cluster is inherently harsh in Russian. A чмо isn't even worth getting angry at; they're pitied and dismissed.
дебил (debil)
“moron / idiot / retard”
Originally a clinical psychiatric term (дебильность was the mildest form of intellectual disability in Soviet classification), now a common insult meaning 'idiot.' The clinical-to-insult pipeline is the same as English 'moron,' 'idiot,' and 'imbecile' — all former medical terms repurposed as abuse.