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Home > 15 Ukrainian National Symbols: Vocabulary & Culture Lesson with Audio
15 Ukrainian National Symbols: Vocabulary & Culture Lesson with Audio
Discover the history and meaning behind prominent Ukrainian state and national symbols with useful vocabulary and audio!
Milana Sribniak
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Ukraine is rich in many aspects, with no lack of national symbols that uniquely convey historical continuity, in-depth Ukrainian mentality, and cultural beauty that spans not years but centuries!
So, let’s discover the meaningbehindprominent Ukrainian national symbols in our curated list with vocabulary and pronunciation practice!
Державний Прапор України — Ukrainian National Flag
The Ukrainian national flag is one of the most recognizable symbols of modern Ukraine, representing the resilience and strength of the Ukrainian people.
Its combination of colors — СИНІЙ (blue)and ЖОВТИЙ (yellow)— have been proudly displayed in Ukraine and around the world as a sign of solidarity during rallies.
Amid Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, the flag has also become a symbol of ОПІР (resistance) and ВИЗВОЛЕННЯ (liberation) of territories illegally occupied by Russia.
The flag’s origins date back to the 14th century, when it was featured on the medieval coats of arms of Rus principalities, such as the Kingdom of Galicia-Volhynia, the predecessors of modern Ukraine.
The first use of blue and yellowon a Ukrainian flag occurred in ЛЬВІВ (Lviv) in the mid-19th century. It soon turned into an established state symbol during the rule of УКРАЇНСЬКА НАРОДНА РЕСПУБЛІКА (Ukrainian People’s Republic) and subsequent state formations on the territory of modern Ukraine. For decades, Soviet oppressors banned the use of Ukraine’s flag, but today it flourishes and is celebrated worldwide, with a dedicated holiday on August 23.
The Ukrainian coat of arms, commonly known as ТРИЗУБ (trident), is perhaps the most ancient state symbol in Ukrainian heritage.
The oldest artifacts of this symbol’s alterations date back to the late 10th century, the times of КИЇВСЬКА РУСЬ (Kyivan Rus), displayed on medieval coins and churches.
The trident became a hereditary heraldic banner for the descendants of Volodymyr the Great, also used further on in Ukrainian folklore and church heraldic.
The 20th century marks the restoration of the trident as a Ukrainian state symbol by the Ukrainian People’s Republic, only to be suppressed once again by the Soviets until Ukraine regained its independence in 1991.
To me, the Ukrainian coat of arms represents perfection — intricate yet simple, with endless possible variations.
Ukrainian song «ЩЕ НЕ ВМЕРЛА УКРАЇНИ», which soon became the symbol of Ukrainian statehood, emerged during the 19th-century national renaissance that swept across Europe.
Inspired by the examples of Serbian and Polish national songs, the Ukrainian poet and ethnographer Pavlo Chubynskyi wrote a poem in 1863 (the legend says it took him only half an hour). The Polish song “Mazurek Dąbrowskiego” (which later became Poland’s national anthem) was a particularly strong influence.
After the poem’s publication, Greek Catholic priest Mykhailo Verbytskyi composed the music, and the song quickly became beloved by many Ukrainians.
For Ukraine, divided between empires at the time, the song held profound significance as a symbol of unity — especially since the poet and composer were subjects of different empires.
Traditional national clothing, a symbol of Ukrainian identity, piece of haute couture — all of this applies to the Ukrainian embroidered shirt ВИШИВАНКА.
Its origins are traced back to ancient Slavs or even the Neolithic times. In Kyivan Rus, embroidered shirts were signs of high social status; in later historical periods, it became more prevalent, particularly among peasants.
The Ukrainian embroidery style varied much between the regions, often including ГЕОМЕТРИЧНІ ЕЛЕМЕНТИ (geometric elements), ТВАРИНИ (animals), ПТАХИ (birds), РОСЛИНИ (plants), etc. Since the 19th century, Ukrainian intellectuals also began to wear ВИШИВАНКА as a symbol of national identity, and this symbolism thrives today more than ever.
Discover how ВИШИВАНКА also became trendy clothing for modern fashion in this video.
Another embroidered symbol of Ukraine is ВИШИТИЙ РУШНИК. This ritual cloth has always been a crucial element in any household, especially for festive occasions.
It was traditionally used in sacred rituals, religious ceremonies, and important events, like weddings and funerals. For weddings, their number could be up to 35, but no less than 5. They showed brides’ craftsmanship and diligence in work.
Every region has unique designs and patterns, each carrying hidden meanings, which have been passed down through generations. The color palette also conveys various meanings (ЧЕРВОНИЙ = love, ЧОРНИЙ = sadness, ЗЕЛЕНИЙ = spring, life, etc.).
The all-time favorite Ukrainian symbol — Ukrainian Easter egg or ПИСАНКА!
The traces of ПИСАНКА are found even in the 4th century B.C. on the territory of modern Ukraine. As a symbol of life’s beginning, ПИСАНКА is a traditional gift at ВЕЛИКДЕНЬ and a must-have in an Easter basket.
It is non-edible, made of an empty egg, and decorated with traditional symbols written with wax and dyes. That’s why there is a distinction between КРАШАНКИ (krashanky) — painted boiled eggs, made for games and food.
Both colors and decorative elements convey crucial symbolic meanings, like ОЛЕНЬ (deer) = power, БАРАН (mutton) = wealth, ПІВЕНЬ (rooster) = fertility, ТРИКУТНИК (triangle) = the Divine Trinity, etc.
There is a well-known Ukrainian saying, «ХЛІБ УСЬОМУ ГОЛОВА» (“Bread is the head of everything”). This short phrase tells in a nutshell our attitude toward bread. Almost no meal is imagined without it.
ХЛІБ (КОРОВАЙ) and salt are also crucial elements of a Ukrainian wedding and signs of Ukrainian ГОСТИННІСТЬ (hospitality).
The importance of bread also deepens from a traumatic experience from several famines, with artificial ГОЛОДОМОР (Holodomor) of 1932-1933 as the most tragic one.
Probably most of our learners have already tasted this wonderful Ukrainian dish — БОРЩ (borscht)!
It is much more rich and complex than most regular soups, as it has practically all vegetables imaginable (with БУРЯК — beet as its centerpiece), often with meat or even fish.
Every Ukrainian household has its own borscht recipe, so it will always taste differently (like pasta for Italians)!
Though БОРЩ is common in different countries of Eastern Europe, only in Ukraine it has such profound meaning (and variations) that even UNESCO recognized it as Ukraine’s intangible cultural heritage.
As Ukraine historically has been an agricultural territory, ПШЕНИЦЯ played a crucial role as a source of food supply, mainly bread.
The ear of wheat is an ancient symbol in Ukrainian culture that represents ЖИТТЯ (life), ДОСТАТОК (prosperity), ЗДОРОВ’Я (health), and БАГАТСТВО (wealth). It is also a symbolic attribute of the earth and Mother Nature.
In ВИШИВАНКА, an ear of wheat symbolizes the wishes of fertility and prosperity.
This flower embodies the sun in both its name and appearance — no wonder that it is also a popular Ukrainian symbol!
Ukraine ranks first in the world in sunflower oil exports, so you can imagine how many sunflowers we have!
In Ukrainian folklore, СОНЯШНИК is believed to bring УДАЧА (good luck) and ЩАСТЯ (happiness) to the owner. Its bright and cheerful appearance is also a reflection of the Ukrainian spirit, characterized by resilience, optimism, and love of life.
Калина — Viburnum
Viburnum is another common plant in Ukraine. Its bushes bring bright red, round fruits which are believed to be very healthy.
It conveys multiple meanings, being a popular metaphor in Ukrainian folklore and literature. КАЛИНА is often associated with ЖІНКА (woman), БАТЬКІВЩИНА (homeland), КОХАННЯ (romantic love), and СУМ (sadness).
Many songs, artworks, and even some versions of the Ukrainian coat of arms also include КАЛИНА, displaying its importance for the Ukrainian spirit.
Learn Ukrainian lyrics and English translations of a popular Ukrainian war song about viburnum and Ukrainian freedom aspirations!
Верба — Willow Tree
In Ukraine, the willow tree is also full of symbolic meaning. Most commonly, it is a must-have attribute for a week before ВЕЛИКДЕНЬ (Easter).
Ukrainians even call Palm Sunday ВЕРБНА НЕДІЛЯ when willow branches are sanctified in churches. Some even practice hitting others with those branches!
There are many metaphors for the willow in Ukrainian folklore and Christmas carols. As an “ideal tree”, it is a poetic symbol of a big family.
Лелека — Stork
Do Ukrainians find kids thanks to storks? Yes, sometimes (though КАПУСТА — cabbage — is a big competitor)!
These birds symbolize ДОБРОБУТ (prosperity) and СІМ’Я (family). Ukrainians also forecast weather with their help — either by their posture or by the time they return home from warmer lands. If a family of storks decides to build a nest on someone’s roof, the owners will be blessed with success (or a child).
Learn everything about animal symbols in Ukraine in ULP Episode 129 in slow Ukrainian!
Журавель — Crane
I must admit, I often confuse storks and cranes, only remembering that the latter do not bring kids:)
As well as storks, ЖУРАВЛІ also leave Ukraine for winter in search of warmer lands, but they always return in the spring. The return of cranes from warm lands symbolizes a return home, or simply ДІМ (home), СІМ’Я (family).
Соловейко — Nightingale
Last but not least, СОЛОВЕЙ (also known by its diminutive name — СОЛОВЕЙКО)!
It is a symbol of СПІВУЧІСТЬ (singing), ТАЛАНТ (talent), and just any kind of beauty or goodness.
We often use the adjective СОЛОВ’ЇНИЙ to describe the Ukrainian language.
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Now you know the meaning behind major Ukrainian national symbols!
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