Vchod

Vchod is a common noun in Czech and Slovak that denotes the entrance or entryway to a building or room. It refers to the doorway or the point through which one gains access, as opposed to the act of entering. In daily use, vchod appears in signage, architectural plans, and directions, and it is often qualified by adjectives such as hlavní vchod (main entrance) or boční vchod (side entrance).

In Czech, the term is masculine singular, with plural vchody. In Slovak, the form and usage are parallel, with phrases like hlavný vchod (main entrance) and bočný vchod. The word is commonly found on doors and in maps or building directories.

Etymologically, vchod comes from Proto-Slavic *chodъ, meaning “a way or path,” with the prefix v- indicating inward direction. It is closely related to the Russian word вход (vkhod), which also means entrance. The root contrasts with východ (east or exit in Czech and Slovak), a cognate that can cause confusion in signage if diacritical marks are not observed.

Related terms include vstup, which is a more general term for entry or admission rather than a specific doorway, and vchodové dveře, meaning entrance doors. While vchod is widely used in everyday language and official texts, it remains distinct from východ, and their meanings are context-dependent, especially on signage.

Overall, vchod is a foundational term in Czech and Slovak for identifying the primary point of entry to a building, reflecting common architectural and navigational vocabulary in both languages.