01
russ
sooty-black
A rare, outdated, or poetic term for the color black, similar to the color of soot.
example
Die Nacht war russ und ohne Sterne.
The night was sooty-black and starless.
der Russ
sooty-black
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Meanings
Usage tips
Word family
The adjective 'russ' (sooty-black) is derived directly from the noun 'der Ruß' (soot). Ruß refers to the black particles produced during combustion, for example in a fireplace. So the color is 'schwarz wie Ruß' (black as soot).
EXAMPLE
Der Rauch stieg russ und dicht aus dem Schornstein.
The smoke rose sooty-black and thick from the chimney.
Register and style
This word belongs to poetic or elevated language and is very rare. It is not used in normal everyday speech to describe the color black.
EXAMPLE
Unter dem russen Himmel wirkte die Landschaft unheimlich.
Under the sooty-black sky, the landscape seemed eerie.
Typical combinations
Because of its poetic character, 'russ' (sooty-black) is used almost exclusively with nouns such as 'Nacht' (night), 'Himmel' (sky), 'Rauch' (smoke), or 'Schatten' (shadow).
EXAMPLE
Die Wolken waren russ und kündigten ein Gewitter an.
The clouds were sooty-black and announced a thunderstorm.
Compare with
Russ vs schwarz
black
'schwarz' and 'russ' can both mean a very dark color. 'schwarz' is the normal everyday word and works for clothing, hair, cars, night, and many other things. 'russ' is very rare, outdated, or poetic and does not sound like normal everyday German. Learners might confuse the words because both refer to the color of soot or darkness. In practice: almost always, you say 'schwarz'. 'russ' is more likely to be understood in old or poetic texts.
Russ
In dem alten Gedicht wird der Himmel als russ und schwer beschrieben.
In the old poem, the sky is described as sooty-black and heavy.
schwarz
Nach der Arbeit ziehe ich für den Termin eine schwarze Jacke an.
After work, I put on a black jacket for the appointment.
In real life
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