Poruchik was a military rank

Military rank

Military rank is a system of hierarchical relationships in armed forces or civil institutions organized along military lines. Usually, uniforms denote the bearer's rank by particular insignia affixed to the uniforms...

 in several Slavic countries, such as the Russian Empire

Russian Empire

The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...

 and the Republic of Poland, equivalent to Lieutenant

Lieutenant

A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...

. "Poruchik" means "messenger", "officer for orders". This is a Slavic (Czech) copy of the term "Lieutenant" (locum tenens).
In Russia this rank was first introduced in Strelets New Regiments, the rank legalised by the Table of Ranks. A podporuchik is simply a Sub-Poruchik. At various times, there were also Captain-Poruchik ranks in both Army and Navy; naval Poruchik eventually ended as Lieutenant.

In Russian Culture

The contemporary image of a "poruchik" is of a young, swashbuckling, cavalry

Cavalry

Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...

 lieutenant. This is exemplified by the two most famous fictional poruchiks: Kijé and Rzhevsky.

See also

• Lieutenant
  Lieutenant
  A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
  
  
• History of Russian military ranks
  History of Russian military ranks
  Modern Russian military ranks trace their roots to Table of Ranks established by Peter the Great. Most of the rank names were borrowed from existing German/Prussian, French, English, Dutch, and Polish ranks upon the formation of Russian regular army in late 17th century.- Muscovy :The rulers of the...
  
  
• Polish Armed Forces rank insignia
  Polish Armed Forces rank insignia
  - Origins :Present Polish system of rank insignia is a direct descendant of various systems used in the past in the Polish Army. Some of the grades trace their name back to Middle Ages, for instance the rank of chorąży literally means a flag bearer...