This is the 18057th most frequent Polish word.
żmiją
"Żmiją" (instrumental case of "żmija") means "a viper" or "a venomous snake" in English.
Here, 'żmiję' is used in its nominative case, referring to a specific entity: a viper.
W lesie spotkałem żmiję podczas spaceru.
In the forest, I encountered a viper during my walk.
In this sentence, 'żmija' metaphorically describes someone considered deceitful or treacherous.
Mówią, że zachowała się jak żmija, zdradzając swoje przyjaciółki.
They say she acted like a snake, betraying her friends.
'Żmija' here signifies a potential danger, applying its literal meaning of a snake in the context of the story.