krajiny

Krajiny is the plural of krajina in Czech and Slovak, a term that denotes land in a broad sense. In everyday use it most often refers to landscapes or countryside, but it can also describe geographical regions in a non-administrative sense. The plural form krajiny is used when speaking of multiple landscapes or lands, or more poetically of different countries in a regional sense.

In both languages the basic sense of krajina centers on physical space and natural scenery—the arrangement of landforms, water, vegetation, and climate that shape a place. The word can also appear in a cultural or artistic context, where krajina designates the landscape genre in art and literature. Landscape painting and writing frequently employ krajina to evoke mood, national character, or regional identity.

Etymology traces krajina to the root kraj, meaning edge, border, or region, with a suffix that forms a noun referring to land or territory. Over time the term has acquired a broader sense beyond strict borders to encompass the visible and natural character of a place.

Official administrative terms differ: in Czech and Slovak, the administrative unit for a large area is called kraj. Krajina thus contrasts with political divisions by focusing on natural or cultural space rather than governance. The word also appears in historical and poetic contexts, where it may describe lands beyond immediate borders.

See also: kraj (region), krajina (landscape).