What it means
عمل جراحی (amal-e jarrâhi) is the standard Persian term for a surgical operation. Both parts of the phrase come from Arabic: amal (عمل) means act or action, and jarrâhi (جراحی) is the adjective derived from jarrâh (جراح), meaning surgeon, which in turn comes from the Arabic root jurh (جُرْح, wound). Together, the phrase literally means “the surgical act.” In daily speech Iranians often shorten it to just عمل (amal), so “Amal-at chiye?” can mean “What surgery are you having?” A close related word is جراحی (jarrâhi) used alone as a noun for surgery in general.
How to use it
- باید عمل جراحی بشم. (bâyad amal-e jarrâhi besham.) “I need to have surgery.”
- عمل جراحیش موفق بود. (amal-e jarrâhish movaffaq bud.) “The surgery was successful.”
- بعد از عمل باید استراحت کنی. (ba’d az amal bâyad esterâhat koni.) “After the surgery you need to rest.”
- عمل جراحی قلب انجام داد. (amal-e jarrâhi-ye qalb anjâm dâd.) “He performed cardiac surgery.”
Cultural note
Iran has a well-developed surgical sector, with both public hospitals and private clinics offering a wide range of procedures. Medical tourism brings patients from neighboring countries specifically for affordable surgeries. The phrase amal-e jarrâhi is used formally in hospitals, while the shortened amal is the word most patients use in everyday conversation with family. Rhinoplasty (amal-e bini) is one of the most talked-about elective surgeries in Iranian popular culture.