жище

[damiel.livejournal.com]

I was watching the movie Баллада о солдате, and there's a scene where the word жище appears written in big letters on a staircase wall, with an arrow pointing down. I think that was the word, at any rate (I don't think it was жилище), but I can't find it listed in any of the resources I've consulted. Does anyone know what it means?

Update: Mystery solved.