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In MyMemeCards, the meme card game, “Preved Medved” is a mythic card of the Russian Memes pack, number 138 of the collection, and the 1st best-known meme of its 300 cards. Here is what the meme means, where it comes from, and how to get its card.
What does the “Preved Medved” meme mean?
The meme works as an absurd, twisted greeting: “preved” is a deliberate misspelling of the Russian word “privet” (hi), part of the so-called “padonkaffsky” slang that plays on intentional spelling mistakes for comic effect. The bear, caught mid-leap with its paws raised, stands for a surprising, good-natured interruption. It became a symbol of the early Russian internet, reused in countless edits where its mere appearance is enough to get a laugh.
Where does the “Preved Medved” meme come from?
The meme comes from a watercolor painting by American artist John Lurie, titled “Bear Surprise”, showing a bear jumping out with raised paws and shouting “Surprise!”. Circulated through emails and Russian blogs from 2006 onward, the painting was edited so the bear shouts “Preved!” (a misspelling of “privet”, hi), giving rise to the character Medved (a misspelling of “medved”, bear). According to Wikipedia, this “preved” and “medved” pair is a key component of one of the first Runet memes to spread widely, including offline. The word “preved” belongs to padonkaffsky slang, a related but distinct register that favors deliberate spelling distortions of Russian.
- 2006John Lurie's “Bear Surprise” painting, edited with “Preved!”, spreads through emails and Russian blogs and becomes one of the first Runet memes.
How to use the “Preved Medved” meme
- To greet someone in a deliberately absurd tone: “Preved Medved!”
- As a caption on a photo of someone popping up by surprise: “Preved Medved, new entrance.”
- To comment on an unexpected appearance in a video: “The Preved Medved bear, straight out of nowhere.”
Also searched as
- Превед, Медвед!
- Preved!
- Bear Surprise
- preved medved meme
- preved medved meaning
- preved medved bear meme origin
- bear surprise john lurie meme
- preved medved russian internet meme
- превед медвед происхождение
The “Preved Medved” card in MyMemeCards
| Number | No. 138 |
|---|---|
| Rarity | Mythic |
| Collection | Russian Memes pack |
| Fame | 98/100 · #1 of 300 |
| Recycle value | 80 MemeCoins (240 in Shiny) |
How to get the “Preved Medved” card
Every pack holds 5 meme cards, the first 3 of them Common; Preved Medved comes out of the Russian Memes pack as a mythic card. The pack odds say what each rarity weighs.
Your first pack is free and needs no account. After that a new free pack lands every 10 minutes, up to 3 waiting for you. You can also buy the card with MemeCoins on the market, bid for it at auction, or trade it — and a double recycles into 80 MemeCoins.
Open your free pack
5 meme cards, one of them at least Rare. One free pack per person.
Free · no account needed
Odds per card, averaged over a pack: Common 72%, Rare 23.9%, Epic 3.2%, Legendary 0.56%, Mythic 0.3%, Full Art ≤ 0.1%, Shiny 0.2%. Cards 1 to 3 are always Common, cards 4 and 5 climb the rarities. Rates drop for cards that circulate a lot. Details
Memes like “Preved Medved”
More cards of the Russian Memes pack
Frequently asked questions
What does Preved Medved mean?
“Hi there, bear” in deliberately misspelled Russian: “preved” distorts “privet” (hi) and “medved” distorts “medved” (bear).
Where does the Preved Medved bear image come from?
From a watercolor painting by American artist John Lurie, “Bear Surprise”, edited so the bear shouts “Preved!”.
Why is Preved Medved so well known in the Runet?
Because, according to Wikipedia, it's one of the very first widely spread Russian memes, including offline, tied to padonkaffsky slang.
What is the padonkaffsky slang linked to this meme?
A Russian internet register built on deliberate spelling distortions of words, like “preved” for “privet”.
How do I get the Preved Medved meme card?
Open a pack of MyMemeCards: “Preved Medved” is a mythic card of the Russian Memes pack. Your first pack is free, with no account, and you can also buy, trade or win the card at auction.
How rare is the Preved Medved card?
It is a Mythic card. Rarity decides which pack slot can deal it, and what it is worth on the market.
Sources: Preved — Wikipedia · Превед! — Википедия · checked on October 29, 2026.
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