What does “молодец” mean in Russian?

Молодец! is the standard Russian “well done!” Teachers say it to pupils, parents to children, coaches to adults. It comes from молодой, “young,” and once meant a brave young man, but today it works for anyone, including women and girls: Маша, молодец! For a group it becomes молодцы!

Молодчина is a warmer, more emphatic version, and умница (“clever one”) is the usual praise for a well-behaved child. In folk tales добрый молодец is still the young hero. The twins here do every task, a number, standing on one leg, a superhero move, and get a молодцы! for it.