تهران

تِهْران (canonical)
tihrān (romanization)
tehrân (romanization)
طِهْران (alternative dated)
تِهْرون (alternative Tehrani colloquial)

[t̪ʰe̞ɦ.ɾɑ́ːn]

[t̪ʰe̞ɦ.ɾɑ́ːn]

[t̪ʰɪ.ɾɑ́ːn]

[t̪ʰi.ɾɔ́ːn]

[t̪ʰeɦ.ɹɒ́ːn]

[t̪ʰeɦ.ɹɒ́ːn]

[t̪ʰeɦ.ɾɔ́n]

There are various theories pertaining to the origin of the name Tehran:
* One theory is that the word "Tehran" is derived from Tiran/Tirgan, "The Abode of Tir", a Zoroastrian deity. The ancient Parthian town of Tiran was a neighbour to the town of Mehran, "The Abode of Mihr", the Zoroastrian deity of light. Both of these were mere villages in the suburbs of the great city of ری (“Ray”).
* Another theory is that Tehran means "a warm place", opposed to Shemiran, a cooler district in northern Tehran.
* The official City of Tehran website claims that "Tehran" comes from the Persian words ته (tah, “end, bottom”) and ران (rân, “mountain slope”, literally “bottom of the mountain slope”). Given Tehran's geographic position at the bottom of the slope of the Alborz Mountains, this appears to be the most plausible explanation of the origin of the name of the city.

Tehran (the capital city of Iran, the seat of Tehran County's Central District, and the capital of Tehran Province)

Tehran (a county of Iran, around the city)

Tehran (one of 31 provinces in Iran Tehran Province,)


طهران

head

طهران • (tehrân)

fa-proper noun

طهران • (tehrân)

تهران تهران#Persian

(obsolete) alternative form of تهران (tehrân): Tehran (the capital city of Iran)

تهران

تهران تهران#Persian

(obsolete) alternative form of تهران (tehrân): Tehran (a province of Iran)


ماه

Inherited from Middle Persian [script needed] (mʾy /māy/), from Old Persian 𐎶𐎠𐎭 (m-a-d /mādaʰ/). Doublet of ماد (mâd).

inh+

(historical) Media (a geographic region and ancient satrapy of the Persian Empire in northwestern Iran, originally inhabited by the Medes)


گلستان

→ Gujarati: ગુલિસ્તાન (gulistān)

[ɡʊ.lɪs.t̪ʰɑ́ːn]

[ɡʊ.lɪs.t̪ʰɑ́ːn]

[ɡʊ.lɪs.t̪ʰɑ́ːn]


سرباز

head

سَرْباز • (sarbâz)

fa-proper noun

سَرْباز • (sarbâz)

سَرْباز (canonical)
sarbâz (romanization)

From سر (sar, “head”) + باز (-bâz, “to loose, to let go”).

compound

Sistan and Baluchestan
w:Sistan and Baluchestan

Sarbaz (a city and county of Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Iran)


آذربایجان

head

آذَرْبایْجان

آذَرْبایْجان • (âzarbâyjân)

fa-proper noun

آذَرْبایْجان

آذَرْبایْجان • (âzarbâyjân)

آذَرْبایْجان (canonical)
âzarbâyjân (romanization)
آذرآبادگان (alternative)
آذربادگان (alternative)
آذربایگان (alternative)
اذربیجان (alternative)
آذربادجان (alternative rare)

desc

أَذَرْبَيْجَان

→ Arabic: أَذَرْبَيْجَان (ʔaḏarbayjān)

→ Arabic: أَذَرْبَيْجَان (ʔaḏarbayjān)

→ Azerbaijani: Azərbaycan

→ Bashkir: Әзербайжан (Əzerbayjan)

→ English: Azarbayjan

→ Kazakh: Әзірбайжан (Äzırbaijan)

→ Kyrgyz: Азербайжан (Azerbayjan)

desctree

→ Ottoman Turkish: آذربایجان (Azerbaycan)
Turkish: Azerbaycan
→ English: Azerbaijan
→ French: Azerbaïdjan
→ German: Aserbaidschan
→ Russian: Азербайджа́н (Azerbajdžán), Азербайджа́нъ (Azerbajdžán) — Pre-reform orthography (1918)
→ English: Azerbaidzhan

→ Tatar: Әзербайҗан (Äzerbaycan)

→ Turkmen: Azerbaýjan

desc

آذَرْبائِیجان

→ Urdu: آذَرْبائِیجان (āzarbāījān)

→ Urdu: آذَرْبائِیجان (āzarbāījān)

→ Uyghur: ئەزەربەيجان (ezerbeyjan)

→ Uzbek: Ozarbayjon

[ʔɑː.zäɾ.bɑːj.d͡ʒɑ́ːn]

[ʔɑː.zäɾ.bɑːj.d͡ʒɑ́ːn]

[ʔɑː.zäɾ.bɑːj.d͡ʒɑ́ːn]

[ʔɔː.zäɾ.bäj.d͡ʒɔ́ːn]

[ʔɒː.zæɹ.bɒːj.d͡ʒɒ́ːn]

Arabized form of Early Classical Persian آذَرْبَایْگَان (āḏarbāygān, āzarbāygān) / آذَرْبَادْگَان (āḏarbādgān, āzarbādgān), from Middle Persian ʾtwrpʾtkʾn (ādurbādagān). By surface analysis, آذرباد (âzarbâd, “Atropates”) + ـگان (-gân, “relational suffix”).

m+

آذَرْبَایْگَان

surf

fa:آذربایجان

اهل دربند از شهرهای شروان و مردم میانه آذربایجان بسیار جنیان را همیدیدهاند.

c. 1599, Bahāʾ al‐Dīn ʿĀmilī, “Section IV, Part I”, in کشکول:

The people of the city of Derbent in Shirvan and Mianeh in Azerbaijan have seen many genies.

ahl-e darband az šahr-hâ-ye šervân va mardom-e miyâne-ye âzarbâyjân besyâr jenniyân râ hamidide'and.

(original sense) Azerbaijan (a region in northwestern Iran, where ancient Atropatene was located, encompassing the modern provinces of Ardabil, East Azerbaijan and West Azerbaijan)


کره‌ای

کرهای (canonical)
kare-yi (romanization)


بن

Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari
Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari#English

Ben (the capital city of Ben County, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province, Iran)

Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province#English

Ben (a county of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province, Iran)


مشهد

Mashhad (a city in Iran, the seat of Mashhad County's Central District, and the capital of Razavi Khorasan Province)

Mashhad (a county of Iran, around the city)


کردستان

[kʰʊɾ.d̪ɪs.t̪ʰɑ́ːn]

[kʰʊɾ.d̪ɪs.t̪ʰɑ́ːn]

[kʰʊɾ.d̪ɪs.t̪ʰɑ́ːn]

From کرد + ـستان.

Kurdistan (a cultural region in Western Asia inhabited mostly by the Kurds, encompassing parts of Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria)

(by extension) Kurdistan (a province in northwestern Iran, lying within the aforementioned Kurdish-majority region)


شیراز

head

شیراز • (širâz)

fa-proper noun

شیراز • (širâz)

Shiraz (a city in Iran, the seat of Shiraz County's Central District, and the capital of Fars Province, near the remains of Persepolis)

Shiraz (a county of Iran, around the city)


یزد

From Middle Persian 𐭩𐭦𐭣𐭲𐭩 (yzdty /yazd/, “god, divinity”), from Avestan 𐬫𐬀𐬰𐬀𐬙𐬀 (yazata, “yazata, (an entity that is) worthy of worship”).

der

Yazd (a city in Iran, the seat of Yazd County's Central District, and the capital of Yazd Province)

Yazd (a county of Iran, around the city)


کرمان

kirmān (romanization)
kermân (romanization)

Kerman (a city in Iran, the seat of Kerman County's Central District, and the capital of Kerman Province)

Kerman (a county of Iran, around the city)


فارس

head

فارس • (fârs)

fa-proper noun

فارس • (fârs)

Borrowed from Arabic فَارِس (fāris), from Middle Persian 𐭯𐭠𐭥𐭮𐭩 (Pārs), from Old Persian 𐎱𐎠𐎼𐎿 (Pārsa).

استان فارس


خوی

Khoy (a city in West Azerbaijan Province, Iran)

Khoy County (a county of West Azerbaijan Province, Iran)


آستانه

head

آستانه • (âstâne)

fa-proper noun

آستانه • (âstâne)

desctree

→ Kazakh: Астана (Astana)
→ Russian: Астана́ f (Astaná)
→ Armenian: Աստանա (Astana)

[ʔɑːs.t̪ʰɑː.nǽ]

[ʔɑːs.t̪ʰɑː.nǽ]

[ʔɑːs.t̪ʰɑː.nǽ]

[ʔɔːs.t̪ʰɔː.nǽ]

[ʔɒːs.t̪ʰɒː.né]

Inherited from Middle Persian [Book Pahlavi needed] (ʾstʾnk' /āstānag/). By surface analysis, آستان (âstân) + ـه (-e).

surf

Astaneh-ye Ashrafiyeh
Astaneh-ye Ashrafiyeh#English

Astaneh (the capital city of Astaneh-ye Ashrafiyeh County, Gilan Province, Iran); in full, Astaneh-ye Ashrafiyeh

Astaneh (a city in the Central District, Shazand County, Markazi Province, Iran)


آشور

head

آشور • (âšur)

fa-proper noun

آشور • (âšur)

(historical) Assyria (an ancient Semitic Akkadian kingdom and at times an empire, extant from the mid-23rd century BCE to 608 BCE and centred on the Upper Tigris river in northern Mesopotamia (present day northern Iraq, but at its maximum extent including parts of modern Iran, Syria, Israel, Palestine and Egypt))


آبادان

head

آبادان • (âbâdân)

fa-proper noun

آبادان • (âbâdân)

[ʔɑː.bɑː.d̪ɑ́ːn]

[ʔɑː.bɑː.d̪ɑ́ːn]

[ʔɑː.bɑː.d̪ɑ́ːn]

[ʔɔː.bɔː.d̪ɔ́ːn]

[ʔɒː.bɒː.d̪ɒ́ːn]

[ʔɒːbɒːd̪ɒn]

[ʔɒːbɒːd̪ɒːn]

From آباد (âbâd, “inhabited, cultivated”) + ـان (ân).


تبریز

[t̪ʰäb.ɾéːz]

[t̪ʰäb.ɾéːz]

[t̪ʰäb.ɾéːz]

[t̪ʰäb.ɾéːz]

[t̪ʰæb.ɹíːz]

Mount Sahand
Sarpol-e Zahab County
de:Gilzanu
fa:تبریز

Unknown.
After the earliest resemblance it has been implied of Urartian origin by being equated with Neo-Assyrian mentions of cities [script needed] (Tarwi, Tarui) and [script needed] (Tarmakisa, Tarwakisa) in the Sangibutu = Gilzanu = Baru = Bāri district occupied by Urartu, which equation however has been reckoned far-fetched, seemingly because this region is to the west of Lake Urmia, “though it must be stressed that the concept of a linear boundary wholly fails to express the complex patterns of relationships which existed between neighbouring regions and interspersed peoples,” leading to the suggestion of Iranian origin since the area of Tabriz was territory of the Medes known by another homonymous Sangibuti, possibly equivalent to تو (taw, “pool, puddle”) + ریز (rēz, “flow”) as in إِبْرِيق (ʔibrīq) referring to the springs of mineral water that rise on the slopes of Mount Sahand; however a place-forming suffix ـویج (-vīj) is known, attached to تر (tar, “fresh, moist”) in the Sarpol-e Zahab County village name ترویج (tarvij, literally “watery place”).

Tabriz (a city in Iran, the seat of Tabriz County's Central District, and the capital of East Azerbaijan Province)

Tabriz (a county of Iran, around the city)


اصفهان

head

اصفهان • (isfahān /esfahân or isfihān /esfehân)

isfahān (romanization)
esfahân (romanization)
isfihān (romanization)
esfehân (romanization)
اصفهانم (first-person singular)
اصفهانیم (first-person plural)
اصفهانی (second-person singular)
اسپهان (alternative)
سپاهان (alternative)

[ʔɪs.fä.ɦɑ́ːn]

[ʔɪs.fä.ɦɑ́ːn]

[ʔɪs.fɑːɑ́ːn]

From earlier form, سپاهان (sipahān /sepahân) from Middle Persian [script needed] (spʾhʾn /Spāhān/) ultimately from Old Persian *spādānah (“connected with the army”) or *spādānām (“of the armies”), from 𐎿𐎱𐎠𐎭 (s-p-a-d /spādaʰ/, “army”), from Proto-Iranian *cwáHdah (“army”); see there for further information.

اصفهانی

isfahānī / esfahâni or isfihānī / esfehâni

Isfahan (a city in Iran, the seat of Isfahan County's Central District, and the capital of Isfahan Province, the third largest city of Iran; the former capital of Iran, from 1598–1736)

Isfahan (a county of Iran, around the city)


رشت

head

رشت • (Rašt)

fa-proper noun

رشت • (Rašt)

English: Rasht

Rasht (a city in Iran, the seat of Rasht County's Central District, and the capital of Gilan Province, located on the southwestern shore of the Caspian Sea)

Rasht (a county of Iran, around the city)


مازندران

head

مازندران • (mâzandarân)

fa-proper noun

مازندران • (mâzandarân)

[mɑː.zän̪.d̪ä.ɾɑ́ːn]

[mɑː.zän̪.d̪ä.ɾɑ́ːn]

[mɑː.zän̪.d̪ä.ɾɑ́ːn]

[mɔː.zän̪.d̪ä.ɾɔ́ːn]

[mɒː.zæn̪.d̪æ.ɹɒ́ːn]

Literally, “the gate or the valley of the giants” from مازن (mâzan) + در (dar) + ـان (-ân), from Avestan 𐬨𐬀𐬰𐬀𐬌𐬥𐬌𐬌𐬀 (mazaⁱniia, “giant”). The name has been used in Shahnameh to refer to a land inhabited by divs (daevas) and sorcerers and is difficult to conquer. On the other hand, after Muslim invasion of Persia, the region of Tabaristan remained unconquered for a relatively long period of time, which was later called (and mistaken for) Mazandaran.

lit

استان مازندران

Mazandaran (a northern province of Iran)


دامنه

head

دامنه • (dâmane)

fa-proper noun

دامنه • (dâmane)

From دامن (dâman, “skirt, hems of a robe”) + ـه (-e). "Domain; range" is a phono-semantic matching of French domaine.


ساری

head

ساری • (sārī /sâri)

fa-proper noun

ساری • (sārī /sâri)

Sari (a city in Iran, the seat of Sari County's Central District, and the capital of Mazandaran Province)

Sari (a county of Iran, around the city)


شوش

šuš (romanization)
سوس (alternative obsolete)

→ English: Shush

Inherited from Middle Persian 𐭮𐭥𐭱𐭩 (sūš), from Old Persian 𐏂𐎢𐏁𐎠 (çūšā), from Elamite 𒀸𒋗𒊺𒂗 (šušen).

inh+

Shush (a city in Khuzestan Province, Iran, site of ancient Susa)


بم

ارگ بم


ری

→ Azerbaijani: Rey

→ Chagatai: ری

Uzbek: Ray

→ Ottoman Turkish: ری (Rey)

Turkish: Rey

From Middle Persian [Inscriptional Pahlavi needed] (ldy /Ray/), from Old Persian 𐎼𐎥𐎠 (Ragā), a Median district. Compare Akkadian 𒊏𒂵𒀪 (ra-ga-'), Elamite 𒊩𒋡𒀭 (rák-ka₄-an) (loc.), Ancient Greek Ῥάγαι (Rhágai), Latin Rhagae, Rhaganae, Iranian borrowings.


قزوین

qazwīn (romanization)
ġazvin (romanization)

وقتی میخواهید به قزوین بروید، کمربندتان را محکم ببندید.

vaġti mi-xâhid be ġazvin beravid, kamarbandetân râ mohkam bebandid.

When you want to go to Qazvin, you should tighten your belt.

Qazvin (a city in Iran, the seat of Qazvin County's Central District, and the capital of Qazvin Province).

Qazvin (a county of Iran, around the city).

استان قزوین


قم

qum (romanization)
ġom (romanization)
کنب (alternative obsolete)
کمب (alternative obsolete)
کم (alternative obsolete)
قنب (alternative obsolete)

→ Chagatai: قم

Uzbek: Qum

Dehkhoda Dictionary
Dehkhoda Dictionary Institute
Tarikh-i Qum
University of Tehran Press
fa:قم

Immediately from Arabic, since the city was founded by Arabs in 685 and because ق (q) does not occur in native Persian words. The 988 book History of Qum offers several etymologies:
* An Arabic corruption of Classical Persian کُومَه (kūma, “shed; hut”), since the site of the city was previously used by shepherds for shelter. This may be the most plausible.
* An Arabic corruption of the nearby Persian village of کُوب (kūb).
* From Arabic قُمْ (qum, “stand up!”, singular imperative of قَامَ (qāma, “to stand up”)), with various religious etymologies (e.g. because the Prophet Muhammad was ordered to "stand up" on the site of the city during his heavenly journey); these are obvious cases of folk etymology.
Ali-Akbar Dehkhoda claims that the alternative spellings کُنْب (kunb), کُمْب (kumb), and کُم (kum), which are attested in Classical Persian, are the original forms, and that قُم (qum) is an Arabicised derivative of them.

cog

singular imperative of <i class="Arab mention" lang="ar">قَامَ</i> (qāma, “to stand up”)

Qom (a city in Iran, the seat of Qom County's Central District, and the capital of Qom Province, a shrine city and center of Shi'ite seminarian learning)


هرمز

hormoz (romanization)
هورمز (alternative)
هرمزد (alternative)
هورمزد (alternative)
اورمزد (alternative)

From Middle Persian 𐭠𐭥𐭧𐭥𐭬𐭦𐭣 (Ōhrmazd, Hormozd). Compare Parthian 𐭀𐭇𐭅𐭓𐭌𐭆𐭃 (ʾḥwrmzd).

inh

planets of the Solar System: سیارههای منظومه شمسی: تیر · ناهید · زمین · مریخ · مشتری · زحل · اورانوس · نپتون [edit]

a district of Qeshm, Hormozgan Province, Iran

a city in Iran; capital of the district of the same name


گرگان

head

گرگان • (gorgân)

fa-proper noun

گرگان • (gorgân)

From Middle Persian 𐭢𐭥𐭫𐭢𐭠𐭭 (Gurgān), from Old Persian 𐎺𐎼𐎣𐎠𐎴 (Varkāna), from Proto-Iranian *wr̥kāna- (compare Avestan 𐬬𐬆𐬵𐬭𐬐𐬁𐬥𐬀 (Vəhrkāna)).
Equivalent to گرگ (gorg, “wolf”) + suffix.
Borrowed into Ancient Greek as Ὑρκᾱνίᾱ (Hurkāníā).

Gorgan (a city in Iran, the seat of Gorgan County's Central District, and the capital of Golestan Province; formerly called Astrabad)

Gorgan (a county of Iran, around the city)


بیرجند

bīrjand (romanization)
birjand (romanization)

[biːɹ.d͡ʒæn̪d̪̥]

Birjand (a city in Iran, the seat of Birjand County's Central District, and the capital of South Khorasan Province)

Birjand (a county of Iran, around the city)


میامی

meyâmi (romanization)
mayâmi (romanization)
mayâmey (romanization)

Meyami (a city and county of Semnan Province, Iran)


زنجان

zanjān (romanization)
zanjân (romanization)

Zanjan (a city in Iran, the seat of Zanjan County's Central District, and the capital of Zanjan Province)

Zanjan (a county of Iran, around the city)

استان زنجان


البرز

From Middle Persian hlbwlc (Harborz, “the mountain range surrounding the world”), from Old Persian *Harā Brzatī (“high mountain”), northwestern borrowing from Proto-Iranian *Harā Bṛzatī (Compare Avestan 𐬵𐬀𐬭𐬁⸱𐬠𐬆𐬭𐬆𐬰𐬀𐬌𐬙𐬍 (harā.bər^əzaⁱtī, “a legendary mountain in Iranian mythology”)). Akin to English Elbrus.

cog

𐬵𐬀𐬭𐬁⸱𐬠𐬆𐬭𐬆𐬰𐬀𐬌𐬙𐬍


سمنان

head

سمنان • (simnān /semnân) (Tajik spelling Симнон)

simnān (romanization)
semnân (romanization)
spelling Симнон (Tajik)

Semnan (a city in Iran, the seat of Semnan County's Central District, and the capital of Semnan Province)

Semnan (a county of Iran, around the city)


فاریاب

فاریاب • (fâryâb)

fa-proper noun

فاریاب • (fâryâb)

[fɔːɾ.jɔːb̥]

[fɒːɹ.jɒːb̥]

Faryab (the capital city of Faryab County, Kerman Province, Iran)


زابل

head

زابل • (zâbol)

fa-proper noun

زابل • (zâbol)

Sistan and Baluchestan
Sistan and Baluchestan#English

Zabol (a city in Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Iran)


آذربایجان شرقی

head

آذربایجان شرقی • (âzarbâyjân-e šarqi)

fa-proper noun

آذربایجان شرقی • (âzarbâyjân-e šarqi)

[ʔɑː.zäɾ.bɑːj.d͡ʒɑ́ː.nɪ ʃäɾ.qíː]

[ʔɑː.zäɾ.bɑːj.d͡ʒɑ́ː.nɪ ʃäɾ.qíː]

[ʔɑː.zäɾ.bɑːj.d͡ʒɑ́ː.nɪ ʃäɾ.qíː]

[ʔɔː.zäɾ.bäj.d͡ʒɔ́ː.ni ʃäɾ.qí]

[ʔɒː.zæɹ.bɒːj.d͡ʒɒ́ː.ne ʃæɹ.ɢíː]

استان آذربایجان شرقی

East Azerbaijan
East Azerbaijan#English:_Q176081


اردبیل

ardebil (romanization)
ardabil (romanization)
اردویل (alternative archaic)

Ardabil (a city in Iran, the seat of Ardabil County's Central District, and the capital of Ardabil Province)

Ardabil (a county of Iran, around the city)

استان اردبیل

the province of Ardabil, Ardabil Province


بوشهر

head

بوشهر • (bušehr)

fa-proper noun

بوشهر • (bušehr)

Bushehr (a city in Iran, the seat of Bushehr County's Central District, and the capital of Bushehr Province)

Bushehr (a county of Iran, around the city)

استان بوشهر

the province of Bushehr, Bushehr Province


گیلان

head

گیلان • (gilân)

fa-proper noun

گیلان • (gilân)

[ɡʲiː.lɒ́ːn]

استان گیلان

هر چند بگیلان همه شب باران بارد
هر چند نبینند بمصر اندر باران

11th century, Qaṭrān of Tabrīz, دیوان قطران تبریزی:

Though rain falls every night upon Gilan,
Though you do not see Egypt in the rain […]

har čand ba gēlān hama šab bārān bārad
har čand na-bēnand ba masr andar bārān […]


لرستان

[lʊ.ɾɪs.t̪ʰɑ́ːn]

[lʊ.ɾɪs.t̪ʰɑ́ːn]

[lʊ.ɾɪs.t̪ʰɑ́ːn]

استان لرستان

the province of Luristan, Luristan Province

Lorestan (a province of Iran, mostly inhabited by the Lur people)


بابل

head

بابل • (bâbol)

fa-proper noun

بابل • (bâbol)

Babol (a city in Mazandaran Province, Iran)


بابل

head

بابل • (bâbel)

fa-proper noun

بابل • (bâbel)

(historical) Babylonia (an ancient empire and geographic region of Mesopotamia, existing from 1850 BCE to 539 BCE, based around the city of Babylon; at its maximum extent, covering parts of modern-day Iraq, Kuwait, Syria and Iran)


خراسان

head

خراسان • (xorâsân)

fa-proper noun

خراسان • (xorâsân)

desc

→ Greek: κουρασάνι (kourasáni, “Khorasani style lime mortar”)

[xʊ.ɾɑː.sɑ́ːn]

[xʊ.ɾɑː.sɑ́ːn]

[xʊ.ɾɑː.sɑ́ːn]

From earlier خوراسان (xwarāsān), from Middle Persian hwlʾsʾn' (xwarāsān, literally “sunrise; east”). Equivalent to خور (xwar, “sun”) + آسان (âsân, “coming”). آسان (âsân) is the Parthian conjugation of a verb meaning “to come, to rise”. For the first part, compare خورشید (xoršid), for the second part compare Baluchi آسگ (ásag, “to rise”).

inh

Khorasan (a former province of Iran which subsequently divided into the South Khorasan, North Khorasan, and Razavi Khorasan provinces)


نهاوند

From Middle Persian [Term?], probably from Old Persian *Niθāvanta-, related to Old Persian [script needed] (n-i-s-a-y /Nisāya-/), from the prefix [Term?] (/ni-/, “down”). For the second component, compare Avestan [Term?] (/√say/), [Term?] (/√si/, “lie down”).


سیستان

head

سیستان • (sistân)

fa-proper noun

سیستان • (sistân)

From earlier سجستان (sajestân), from سکاستان (sakâstân), from Old Persian 𐎿𐎣𐎿𐎫𐎠𐎴 (sakastāna). Akin to Latin Segestan, Sacastene.

سیستان و بلوچستان
سیستان و بلوچستان#Persian

Sistan (a province in eastern Iran; in full, سیستان و بلوچستان (sistân-o balučestân))

(historical) Sistan (a geographic region of the eastern Iranian Plateau in eastern Iran and southern Afghanistan, extending into southwestern Pakistan; inhabited by the Scythian Saka tribe between the 2nd century BCE and 1st century C.E.)


سکاستان

head

سکاستان • (sakâstân) (Tajik spelling [Term?])

sakâstân (romanization)
spelling [Term?] (Tajik)
ساکاستان (alternative)

From Old Persian 𐎿𐎣𐎿𐎫𐎠𐎴 (Sakastāna). By surface analysis, سَکا (sakâ, “Scyth”) + ـستان (-stân).


نکا

head

نکا • (nekâ)

fa-proper noun

نکا • (nekâ)

Neka (a city in Mazandaran province, Iran)


کهگیلویه و بویراحمد

head

کهگیلویه و بویراحمد • (kohgeluye va boyerahmad)

استان کهگیلویه و بویراحمد

the province of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province

Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad
Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad#English

Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad (a province of Iran)

fa:کهگیلویه و بویراحمد


کرمانشاه

کرمانشاه • (kirmānšāh /kermânšâh)

fa-proper noun

کرمانشاه • (kirmānšāh /kermânšâh)

kirmānšāh (romanization)
kermânšâh (romanization)

[kʰɪɾ.mɑːn.ʃɑ́ːʱ]

[kʰɪɾ.mɑːn.ʃɑ́ːʱ]

[kʰɪɾ.mɑːn.ʃɑ́ː]

[kʰiɾ.mɔːn.ʃɔ́ː]

[kʰʲeɹ.mɒːn.ʃɒ́ːʰ]

کرمان (kermân, “Kerman”) + شاه (šâh, “king”).

Kermanshah (a city in Iran, the seat of Kermanshah County's Central District, and the capital of Kermanshah Province)

Kermanshah (a county of Iran, around the city)

استان کرمانشاه

Kermanshah (a province of Iran, formerly known as Bakhtaran and Kermanshahan)


هرمزگان

[ʔʊɾ.mʊz.ɡɑ́ːn]

From هرمز (hormoz, “Hormuz”) + ـگان (-gân). The province is located along the Strait of Hormuz.

استان هرمزگان

the province of Hormozgan, Hormozgan Province


خوزستان

head

خوزستان • (xuzestân)

fa-proper noun

خوزستان • (xuzestân)

From خوز (xuz, “Susia”) and ـستان (-estân, “place”), meaning land of the Khuzi (Susian) people, the original inhabitants of the region. Alternatively borrowed wholly from Middle Persian 𐭧𐭥𐭰𐭮𐭲𐭭 (ḥʿcstn /hūzestān/, literally “land of Hūz”), itself from [script needed] (hwc /hūz/) + -stan (-stʾn' /-estān/).
The first component is from Old Persian 𐎢𐎺𐎩 (u-v-j /ʰūvja-/, “Elam, Elamite”), or from the name of Susa. Etymologically, compare اهواز, the Arabized broken-plural of Middle Persian [script needed] (hwc /hūz/, “Susia”).


اهواز

head

اهواز • (ahwāz /ahvâz) (Tajik spelling Аҳвоз)

ahwāz (romanization)
ahvâz (romanization)
spelling Аҳвоз (Tajik)

From Arabic أَهْوَاز (ʔahwāz), a shortened form of سُوق الْأَهْوَاز (sūq al-ʔahwāz), a partial-calque of Middle Persian Hūǰestān-wāzār (literally “the market of Khuzestan”), name of a major town in Sassanian-era. The word is the broken-plural form of Middle Persian hwc (Hūz). Related to هویزه (hoveyze) and خوزستان (xuzestân); see there for more.

der

Ahvaz (a city in Iran, the seat of Ahvaz County's Central District, and the capital of Khuzestan Province)

Ahvaz (a county of Iran, around the city)


زورا

head

زورا • (zowrâ)

fa-proper noun

زورا • (zowrâ)

Borrowed from Arabic الزَّوْرَاء (az-zawrāʔ).

bor+

(Islam, archaic) Zawra' (the cities of Tehran (capital of Iran) and Ray (near Tehran))


پیشوا

head

پیشوا • (pišvâ)

fa-proper noun

پیشوا • (pišvâ)

[pʰeːʃ.wɑ́ː]

[pʰeːʃ.wɑ́ː]

[pʰeːʃ.wɑ́ː]

[pʰeːʃ.wɔ́ː]

[pʰiːʃ.vɒ́ː]

From Middle Persian [Book Pahlavi needed] (pyšʾwpʾd /pēšōbāy/, “leader, vanguard”).

inh

a city, the county seat of Pishva County, Iran


چاه‌کور

head

چاهکور • (čâh-kowr)

fa-proper noun

چاهکور • (čâh-kowr)

چاهکور (canonical)
čâh-kowr (romanization)

[t͡ʃʰɑːɦ.kʰäwɾ]

[t͡ʃʰɑːɦ.kʰäwɾ]

[t͡ʃʰɑː.kʰäwɾ]

[t͡ʃʰɔː.kʰäwɾ]

[t͡ʃʰɒːɦ.kʰowɹ]

[t͡ʃʰɔɦ.kʰäwɾ]


دلیجان

head

دلیجان • (delijân)

fa-proper noun

دلیجان • (delijân)

delijân (romanization)
دلیگان (alternative)

Unknown. Possibly from French (see above), or from دلیرگان (delirgân), from دلیر (delir, “courageous”). Compare Armenian Դիլիջան (Diliǰan).

Delijan (a town in Markazi province, Iran)


همدان

[ʔä.mä.d̪ɑ́ːn]

[ʔä.mä.d̪ɔ́ːn]

Hamadan (a city in Iran, the seat of Hamadan County's Central District, and the capital of Hamadan Province)

Hamadan (a county of Iran, around the city)


بومهن

From Mazanderani, related to the above word.


سلماس

head

سلماس • (salmâs)

fa-proper noun

سلماس • (salmâs)

Salmas (a city in West Azerbaijan Province, Iran; about ninety kilometres north-northwest of Urmia)

Salmas County (a county of West Azerbaijan Province, Iran)


مرند

[mä.ɾän̪d̪̥]

[mæ.ɹæn̪d̪̥]

Unknown, see Arabic مَرَنْد (marand) above.

Marand (a city in East Azerbaijan Province, Iran)

Marand County (a county of East Azerbaijan Province, Iran)


بهشهر

Behshahr (a city in Mazandaran province, Iran)


مود

Mud (the capital city of Mud district, Sarbisheh County, South Khorasan Province, Iran), also known as Mood Nahar Khan and Mūd-e Dahanāb.


كاشان

head

kāšān /kâšân

كاشان • (kāšān /kâšân)

fa-proper noun

kāšān /kâšân

كاشان • (kāšān /kâšân)

kāšān (romanization)
kâšân (romanization)

Kashan (a city in Isfahan Province, Iran)


سنندج

Sanandaj (a city in Iran, the seat of Sanandaj County's Central District, and the capital of Kurdistan Province)

Sanandaj (a county of Iran, around the city)


بنگالی

head

بنگالی • (bangâli)

fa-proper noun

بنگالی • (bangâli)

[bäŋ.ɡɑː.líː]

[bäŋ.ɡɑː.líː]

[bäŋ.ɡɑː.líː]

[bäŋ.ɡɔː.lí]

[bæŋ.ɡɒː.líː]

fa:زبان بنگالی

a village in Ramkan district, Qeshm County, Hormozgan Province, Iran


خرم‌آباد

خرمآباد (canonical)
xurram-ābād (romanization)
xorram-âbâd (romanization)

Khorramabad (a city in Iran, the seat of Khorramabad County's Central District, and the capital of Lorestan Province)

Khorramabad (a county of Iran, around the city)


کرج

karaj (romanization)
کَرَه (alternative archaic)

[kʰä.ɾǽd͡ʒ̥]

[kʰʲæ.ɹǽd͡ʒ̥]

Uncertain. Some possibilities include:
* Related to کرج (karj or karaj, “collar's button, hole or gap (in general or in clothes)”), because of the city's location in a crevice.
* Contraction of کرجی (karaji, “small boat”), referring to the fact of having to use one to cross the nearby river of the same name.
*Most likely related to کرمانشاه (kermânšâh, “Kermanshah”) and other place names starting with "کر", from Avestan 𐬔𐬀𐬌𐬭𐬌 (gaⁱri, “mountain”), again referencing the city's terrain. Cognate with غور and Baluchi گر.

quote-book

از صید ماهی تا پادشاهی

1969, Hamzeh Sardadvar, از صید ماهی تا پادشاهی [From Fishing to the Kingdom], →ISBN:

quote-journal

Karaji dialect

2012 September, Reza Aghazadeh, “Karaji dialect”, in Iranian Society for the Promotion of Persian Language and Literature, volume 1, page 86:
فریدون جنیدی در مقاله "گزارشی پیرامون معنی واژه کرمان" بخش نخست این واژه یعنی "کر" را در واژه کرمان، کرمانشاه (کرماشا)، کرند، کراج، کرج و بسیاری از جایهای دیگر از واژه کئری kaeri (گَئِری gaeri) اوستایی به معناي رشته کوه میگیرند […]
Fereydun Janidi in the article "A report on the word Kerman's meaning" derived the first part of this word "kar" attested in Kermân, Kermânšâh (Kermâšâ), Kerend, Karâj, Karaj and many other places from Avestan kaeri (gaeri) meaning mountain range […]

Karaj (a city in Iran, the seat of Karaj County's Central District, and the capital of Alborz Province)

Karaj (a county of Iran, around the city)


پيرچيلي

head

پیرچیلی • (pirčili)

fa-proper noun

پیرچیلی • (pirčili)

پیرچیلی (canonical)
pirčili (romanization)

Bandar Abbas County
Bandar Abbas County#English

Pirchili, a village in Qaleh Qazi district, Bandar Abbas County, Hormozgan Province, Iran


علوانيه

head

علوانیه • ('alvânîye)

fa-proper noun

علوانیه • ('alvânîye)

علوانیه (canonical)
'alvânîye (romanization)

Alvaniyeh, a village in Gazin district, Raghiveh district, Haftgel, Khuzestan Province, Iran


رضويه

رضویه (canonical)
razaviye (romanization)

Razavi Khorasan province
Razavi Khorasan province#English

Razaviyeh (a city in Razavi Khorasan province, Iran)


چهارمحال و بختیاری

head

چهارمحال و بختیاری • (čahâr-mahâl-o baxtiyâri)

[t͡ʃʰä.ɦɑːɾ.mä.ɦɑːl wä bäx.t̪ʰi.jɑː.ɾɪ]

[t͡ʃʰä.ɦɑːɾ.mä.ɦɑːl wä bäx.t̪ʰi.jɑː.ɾɪ]

[t͡ʃʰɑːɑːɾ.mɑːɑːl wä bäx.t̪ʰi.jɑː.ɾɪ]

[t͡ʃʰɔːɔːɾ.mɔːɔːl̥ wä bäx.t̪ʰi.jɔː.ɾi]

[t͡ʃʰæ.ɦɒːɹ.mæ.ɦɒːl̥ o bæx.t̪i.jɒː.ɹe]

[t͡ʃʰä.ɦɔɾ.mä.ɦɔl vä bäχ.t̪ʰi.jɔ.ɾi]

From چهارمحال + و + بختیاری.

com

چهارمحال + و + بختیاری

Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari (a province of Iran).


قره درق سفلي

head

قره درق سفلی

fa-proper noun

قره درق سفلی

قره درق سفلی (canonical)
qarah daraq-e soflâ (romanization)

a village in Abish Ahmad district, Kaleybar County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran


مادرسرا

head

مادرسرا • (mâdar-sarâ)

fa-proper noun

مادرسرا • (mâdar-sarâ)

a village in Siahkal County, Gilan Province, Iran


استان یزد

head

استان یزد • (ostân yazd)

fa-proper noun

استان یزد • (ostân yazd)


دهستان سيدشهاب

head

دهستان سیدشهاب

دهستان سیدشهاب • (dehestân seyyed-šahâb)

fa-proper noun

دهستان سیدشهاب

دهستان سیدشهاب (canonical)
dehestân seyyed-šahâb (romanization)

From دهستان + سیدشهاب.

com

دهستان + سیدشهاب

Seyyed Shahab Rural District
Seyyed Shahab Rural District

Central District
Central District#English

Tuyserkan County
Tuyserkan County#English

Seyyed Shahab Rural District, a rural district of the Central District, Tuyserkan County, Hamadan Province, Iran


محمدآباد

From محمد + ـآباد.

af

محمد + ـآباد

Gonbad-e Qabus County
Gonbad-e Qabus County#English

Mohammadabad, a village in the Central District, Gonbad-e Qabus County, Golestan Province, Iran


اردستان

head

اردستان • (ardestân)

fa-proper noun

اردستان • (ardestân)

ardestân (romanization)
آردستان (alternative)

→ Azerbaijani: Ərdistan

→ Chagatai: اردستان

Uzbek: Ardiston

→ Ottoman Turkish: اردستان

Turkish: Erdistan

[ʔäɾ.d̪ɪs.t̪ʰɑ́ːn]

[ʔäɾ.d̪ɪs.t̪ʰɑ́ːn]

[ʔäɾ.d̪ɪs.t̪ʰɑ́ːn]

[ʔäɾ.d̪is.t̪ʰɔ́ːn]

[ʔæɹ.d̪es.t̪ʰɒ́ːn]

From ارد (ard, from Old Iranian *arda- (“side, half”)) + ـستان (-estân).

af

from Old Iranian <i class="Latn mention" lang="und">*arda-</i> (“side, half”)


چهارباغ

head

چهارباغ • (čahârbâġ)

fa-proper noun

چهارباغ • (čahârbâġ)

čahârbâġ (romanization)
چهار باغ (alternative)
چارباغ (alternative)

→ Azerbaijani: Çaharbağ

[t͡ʃʰä.ɦɑːɾ.bɑːɣ]

[t͡ʃʰä.ɦɑːɾ.bɑːɣ]

[t͡ʃʰɑːɑːɾ.bɑːɣ]

[t͡ʃʰɔːɔːɾ.bɔːɣ]

[t͡ʃʰæ.ɦɒːɹ.bɒːɢ̥]

[t͡ʃʰä.ɦɔɾ.bɔʁ]

From چهار (čahâr, “four”) + باغ (bâġ, “garden”), literally “four gardens”.

compound

Chaharbagh (a city in Alborz Province, Iran)

Chaharbagh (a district of Alborz Province, Iran)


ماهین

head

ماهین • (māhin)

→ Bengali: মাহীন (mahin)

From ماه (mâh, “moon, month”) + ـین (-in, relative suffix).
 From Middle Persian 𐭡𐭩𐭥𐭧 (byʿḥ /māh/), from Old Persian 𐎶𐎠𐏃 (m-a-h /māha/), from Proto-Iranian *mā́Hah, from Proto-Indo-Iranian *mā́Has, from Proto-Indo-European *mḗh₁n̥s (“moon, month”), probably from *meh₁- (“to measure”). Compare Sanskrit मासीन (māsīna, “monthly, one month old, of a month”, adjective).


خاوران

head

خاوران • (xâvarân)

[xɑː.wä.ɾɑ́ːn]

[xɑː.wä.ɾɑ́ːn]

[xɑː.wä.ɾɑ́ːn]

[xɔː.wä.ɾɔ́ːn]

[xɒː.væ.ɹɒ́ːn]

[χɔ.vä.ɾɔ́n]

Inherited from Middle Persian [Book Pahlavi needed] (hwlwlʾn' /xwarwarān/, “sunset, west”). The "graveyard for victims of political execution" sense is from Khavaran cemetery, the unmarked cemetery in the capital of Tehran, located in the Khavaran district.


سیستان و بلوچستان

head

سیستان و بلوچستان • (sistân-o balučestân)

Sistan and Baluchestan
Sistan and Baluchestan#English:_Q939575

Sistan and Baluchestan (one of 31 provinces in Iran, in the south-east of the country)


خراسان شمالی

خراسان شمالی • (xorâsân-e šomâli)

fa-proper noun

خراسان شمالی • (xorâsân-e šomâli)

[xʊ.ɾɑː.sɑ́ː.nɪ ʃʊ.mɑː.líː]

[xʊ.ɾɑː.sɑ́ː.nɪ ʃʊ.mɑː.líː]

[xʊ.ɾɑː.sɑ́ː.nɪ ʃʊ.mɑː.líː]

North Khorasan
North Khorasan#English:_Q180075


خراسان جنوبی

[xʊ.ɾɑː.sɑ́ː.nɪ d͡ʒä.nuː.bíː]

[xʊ.ɾɑː.sɑ́ː.nɪ d͡ʒä.nuː.bíː]

[xʊ.ɾɑː.sɑ́ː.nɪ d͡ʒä.nuː.bíː]

South Khorasan
South Khorasan#English:_Q171551


خراسان رضوی

Razavi Khorasan
Razavi Khorasan#English:_Q587090


پرند

[pʰä.ɾǽn̪d̪]

[pʰä.ɾǽn̪d̪]

[pʰä.ɾǽn̪d̪]

[pʰä.ɾǽn̪d̪̥]

[pʰæ.ɹǽn̪d̪̥]

[pʰä.ɾǽn̪d̪]

Compare Sogdian [script needed] (pryng /paring/, “damask textile with markings on it”).


بیستون

Inherited from Old Persian *Bagastāna, from 𐏎 (BG /bagaʰ/, “god”) + 𐎿𐎫𐎠𐎴 (s-t-a-n /stāna/, “place”).
By folk etymology, بی (bi, “without, -less”) + ستون (sotun, “pillar”), referring to its ancient reliefs which are carved directly into the rock without pillars.

af

Bisotun (a city in Iran) (known for the Behistun inscription and associated with the legendary lover-architect Farhad)


شهرکرد

[ʃäɦ.ɾɪ.kʰʊɹd̪]

[ʃäɦ.ɾɪ.kʰʊɹd̪]

[ʃɑː.ɾɪ.kʰʊɹd̪]

[ʃɔː.ɾu.kʰuɹd̪̥]

[ʃæɦ.ɹe.kʰoɹd̪̥]

Shahr-e Kord
Shahr-e Kord#English:_Q386649

Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari
Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari#English

Shahr-e Kord (a city in Iran, the seat of Shahr-e Kord County's Central District, and the capital of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province)

Shahr-e Kord
Shahr-e Kord#English:_Q1279085

Shahr-e Kord (a county of Iran, around the city)


بندر عباس

head

بندر عباس • (bandar abbās /bandar abbâs)

bandar abbās (romanization)
bandar abbâs (romanization)

Bandar Abbas
Bandar Abbas#English:_Q154814

Bandar Abbas (a port city in Iran, the seat of Bandar Abbas County's Central District, and the capital of Hormozgan Province)

Bandar Abbas
Bandar Abbas#English:_Q154757

Bandar Abbas (a county of Iran, around the city)


ایلام

ایلام • (īlām /ilâm)

fa-proper noun

ایلام • (īlām /ilâm)

īlām (romanization)
ilâm (romanization)
عیلام (alternative)

From the name of the civilization, عیلام. See there for more.

Ilam (a city in Iran, the seat of Ilam County's Central District, and the capital of Ilam Province)

Ilam (a county of Iran, around the city)

Ilam (a province of Iran, formerly known as Poshtkuh)

(historical) Elam (an ancient civilization and empire in modern southwestern Iran, existing between c. 3200 BCE and 539 BCE)


عیلام

head

عیلام • (īlām /ilâm)

fa-proper noun

عیلام • (īlām /ilâm)

īlām (romanization)
ilâm (romanization)
ایلام (alternative)

Borrowed from Arabic عِيلَام (ʕīlām), From Hebrew עֵילָם (ʿêlām), from Akkadian 𒉏𒈠𒆠 (Elamtu), from Sumerian 𒉏𒆠 (elamᵏⁱ /Elam/), from Elamite 𒄬𒆷𒁶𒋾 (ḫalˡᵃ-tam₆-ti /haltamti/).


یاسوج

yāsūj (romanization)
yâsuj (romanization)

Yasuj (a city in Iran, the seat of Boyer-Ahmad County's Central District, and the capital of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province)


بویراحمد

buyir-ahmad (romanization)
boyer-ahmad (romanization)

Boyer-Ahmad (a county of Iran, with Yasuj, capital of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province, as its capital)


اراک

head

اراک • (arāk /arâk) (Tajik spelling Арок)

arāk (romanization)
arâk (romanization)
spelling Арок (Tajik)

Persianization of earlier عراق (irāq, arāq /erâġ, arâġ), from Arabic اَلْعِرَاق (al-ʕirāq), possibly a reference to عِرَاق الْعَجَم (ʕirāq al-ʕajam, “Persian Iraq”). The origin of Arabic اَلْعِرَاق (al-ʕirāq) itself is uncertain, and some say it is an Arabization of اراک, not the other way around. That would ultimately derive it from Middle Persian [script needed] (ˀyrg /ērag/) or [script needed] (ˀl'k' /erāg/, “lowlands”).

fa-xlit

عِرَاق, عَرَاق

der

Arak (a city in Iran, the seat of Arak County's Central District, and the capital of Markazi Province, formerly called Soltanabad)

Arak (a county of Iran, around the city)


بجنورد

head

بجنورد • (bujnūrd /bojnurd) (Tajik spelling Буҷнурд)

bujnūrd (romanization)
bojnurd (romanization)
spelling Буҷнурд (Tajik)

Bojnord (a city in Iran, the seat of Bojnord County's Central District, and the capital of North Khorasan Province, formerly known as Bijangerd, or Buzanjird)

Bojnord (a county of Iran, around the city)


زاهدان

زاهدان • (zāhidān /zâhedân) (Tajik spelling Зоҳидон)

zāhidān (romanization)
zâhedân (romanization)
spelling Зоҳидон (Tajik)

[zɑː.ɦɪ.d̪ɑːn]

[zɑː.ɦɪ.d̪ɑːn]

Sistan and Baluchestan
Sistan and Baluchestan#English

Zahedan (a city in Iran, the seat of Zahedan County's Central District, and the capital of Sistan and Baluchestan Province)

Zahedan (a county of Iran, around the city)


ارومیه

ارومیه • (urūmiya /orumiye) (Tajik spelling Урумия)

urūmiya (romanization)
orumiye (romanization)
spelling Урумия (Tajik)

Urmia (a salt lake northwestern Iran, near Turkey)

Urmia (a city in Iran, the seat of Urmia County's Central District, and the capital of West Azerbaijan Province, on the shore of the lake of the same name)

Urmia (a county of Iran, around the city)