What it means
آجیل (âjil) refers to a mixed assortment of nuts, dried seeds, and dried fruit: pistachios, walnuts, almonds, raisins, pumpkin seeds, and similar items served together in a bowl. The word appears in Dehkhoda and Farhang-e Moin, though neither dictionary confirms a clear etymology. Some sources have suggested a Turkic or Arabic connection, but neither is confirmed by academic dictionaries, so the exact origin remains uncertain. A close synonym is خشکبار (khoshkbar), which covers dried fruit and nuts more broadly, while تنقلات (tanaqolat) covers snacks in general.
How to use it
- آجیل شب یلدا خریدی؟ (âjil-e shab-e yaldâ kharidi?) “Did you buy the Yalda night nuts?”
- یه کاسه آجیل بذار رو میز. (ye kâse âjil bezâr ru miz.) “Put a bowl of mixed nuts on the table.”
- آجیل مشکلگشا نذر کردم. (âjil-e moshkel-goshâ nazr kardam.) “I made a vow offering of problem-solving nuts.”
- بچهها آجیل رو تموم کردن. (bachehâ âjil-o tamum kardan.) “The kids finished all the nuts.”
Cultural note
آجیل is inseparable from two major Iranian celebrations. On Shab-e Yalda, the longest night of the year, families gather and pass around a bowl of âjil alongside pomegranates and poetry. At Nowruz, the Persian New Year, a special blend called آجیل مشکلگشا (âjil-e moshkel-goshâ) made from seven ingredients is prepared as a votive offering to remove difficulties from the coming year. Buying a good bag of âjil from a dried-fruit shop is itself a ritual act before both occasions.