What it means
ابزار آشپزی (abzâr-e âshpazi) is the umbrella term for cooking utensils or kitchen tools: any implement used to prepare food. ابزار (abzâr) means tools or instruments and is the colloquial form of the older Persian word افزار (afzâr); both are native Persian, not Arabic, despite the Arabic-looking spelling. آشپزی (âshpazi) means cooking or the art of cooking, itself a compound of آش (a traditional Persian stew) and پز (from پختن, to cook). Together the phrase covers everything from spatulas and ladles to graters and peelers. A common synonym is وسایل آشپزخانه (vasâyel-e âshpazkhâne, kitchen equipment).
How to use it
- ابزار آشپزی خوب کار رو آسونتر میکنه. (Abzâr-e âshpazi khub kâro âsântar mikone.) “Good cooking utensils make the work easier.”
- این مغازه ابزار آشپزی میفروشه. (In maghâze abzâr-e âshpazi miforushe.) “This shop sells kitchen tools.”
- کدوم ابزار آشپزی رو بیشتر استفاده میکنی؟ (Kadum abzâr-e âshpazi ro bishtar estefâde mikoni?) “Which kitchen tool do you use the most?”
- ابزار آشپزی رو بعد از استفاده بشور. (Abzâr-e âshpazi ro bad az estefâde beshu.) “Wash the cooking utensils after use.”
Cultural note
Iranian cooking relies heavily on slow-cooked stews (khoresht) and rice dishes (polo), which means certain tools, such as a heavy-bottomed pot (قابلمه, qâblame) and a rice-serving spoon (کفگیر, kafgir), are considered essential ابزار آشپزی in every household. Kitchen supply bazaars in cities like Tehran, Isfahan, and Tabriz stock a huge range of traditional and modern utensils side by side. Gifting a newlywed couple with ابزار آشپزی is a common and practical tradition at Iranian weddings.