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Reference · A to Z
DayZ glossary
The words, slang and abbreviations you will hear in DayZ, in plain English, with a Morse code table for decoding the Nasdara radio broadcasts.
A
Ammo boxA box of loose rounds. Open it in your hands.
ArmbandColoured armband players wear to mark their group.
B
BadlandsThe 2026 expansion with the Nasdara map. Explained.
BambiA fresh spawn with no gear.
BaseA player-built compound of fences, towers, tents and stashes. Calculator.
BleedingLosing blood from a wound. Bandage or use rags.
Blood typeO, A, B or AB, positive or negative. Matters for transfusions. Checker.
BunkerUnderground loot site: Dambog on Livonia, Burukan on Sakhal, shelters on Nasdara.
C
Central economy (CE)The server system that spawns and despawns loot, infected, animals and vehicles.
cfgGameplay.jsonServer file that tweaks stamina, building and more. On by default since 1.30.
Combat loggingDisconnecting during a fight to escape. Servers add a logout timer to stop it.
Contaminated zoneA toxic gas area. Needs NBC gear. Static zones stay; dynamic ones come and go.
ConvoyA dynamic event of wrecked military trucks with loot.
D
DesyncWhen the server and your client disagree; looks like rubber-banding.
DupingUsing an exploit to duplicate items. Bannable.
Dynamic eventHeli crashes, convoys, toxic zones and other temporary loot events.
F
Fresh spawnA newly spawned character, same as a bambi.
FrostlineThe 2024 expansion with the Sakhal map.
G
GearedFully kitted with weapons and armour.
GhillieCamouflage suit crafted from burlap strips and netting.
H
Heli crashA crashed helicopter event with high-tier loot, marked by smoke.
Hopping (server hopping)Switching servers to loot the same place repeatedly. Frowned on.
HypothermiaDangerous cold. Warm up by a fire with dry clothes.
I
InfectedDayZ's zombies.
K
KoSKill on sight: shooting players without talking first.
L
LivoniaThe second official map, wet and forested.
Loot cyclingTaking and dropping items to force respawns. Bannable on many servers.
M
Morse codeDots and dashes broadcast on Nasdara radios to point at underground shelters. Table below.
Morse code table
Long tones are dashes, short tones are dots. A gap separates letters, a longer gap separates words.
| Char | Code | Char | Code | Char | Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | ––––– | 1 | .–––– | 2 | ..––– |
| 3 | ...–– | 4 | ....– | 5 | ..... |
| 6 | –.... | 7 | ––... | 8 | –––.. |
| 9 | ––––. | A | .– | B | –... |
| C | –.–. | D | –.. | E | . |
| F | ..–. | G | ––. | H | .... |
| I | .. | J | .––– | K | –.– |
| L | .–.. | M | –– | N | –. |
| O | ––– | P | .––. | Q | ––.– |
| R | .–. | S | ... | T | – |
| U | ..– | V | ...– | W | .–– |
| X | –..– | Y | –.–– | Z | ––.. |
N
NasdaraThe desert map from Badlands, 267 km². Guide.
NBCNuclear, biological, chemical: the protective suit, mask and gloves for toxic zones.
NWAFNorth-west airfield on Chernarus, the most contested military site.
P
PersistenceItems and bases staying on the server between restarts.
PvEPlayer versus environment: servers or play focused on survival, not other players.
PvPPlayer versus player.
R
RuinedItem condition at zero; it no longer works and its contents may be lost.
S
SakhalThe frozen volcanic island map from Frostline.
ShockThe damage that knocks you unconscious. Rubber bullets and fists do it.
SpawnWhere you appear on the map, or how an item appears.
StaminaWhat you spend running, jumping and fighting. Weight lowers the maximum. Planner.
StashHidden storage: a buried crate or barrel.
T
Territory flagA raised flag that stops items around your base despawning.
TierLoot level of an area: tier 1 coast to tier 4 deep inland.
TisyMilitary base in north-west Chernarus with top-tier loot.
TracerAmmo that leaves a visible trail.
Types.xmlServer file that sets how many of each item exist and where they spawn.
U
UnconsciousKnocked out by shock. You wake when shock recovers, if nobody finishes you.
W
WipeResetting a server: characters and bases are deleted. Official servers wiped for 1.30.
Worn / Damaged / Badly damagedCondition levels between Pristine and Ruined.
Quick answers
Questions people ask
What does bambi mean in DayZ?
A fresh spawn with no gear.
What does KoS mean in DayZ?
Kill on sight: shooting other players without talking first.
What is the CE in DayZ?
The central economy, the server system that spawns and despawns loot, infected, animals and vehicles.
What is NWAF?
The north-west airfield on Chernarus, the most contested military loot site.
Keep going
More guides and tools
Nasdara map guideBadlands & 1.30Best loot by mapBest weaponsBest backpacksBest armourStarter loadoutWhat can I craft?Base calculatorBlood type checkerWeight plannerSettings & FPSServer hostingConsole vs PC
Last checked 28 October 2026, against DayZ 1.30 (PC 1.30.164200, console 1.87).