What it means
عرقچین (araq-chin) is a close-fitting skullcap worn traditionally under a turban, hat, or headscarf. The name is a compound of عرق (araq), the Arabic word for sweat, and چین (chin), from the Persian verb چیدن meaning to gather or collect. Together the name describes a cap that gathers sweat from the head. It is a Persian-coined compound that draws on both Arabic and Persian roots. A related term is کلاه (kolâh), which simply means hat or cap in general, while عرقچین refers specifically to this close-fitting traditional style.
How to use it
- پیرمرد یک عرقچین سفید سرش بود. (pirmard yek araq-chin sefid saresh bud.) “The old man had a white skullcap on his head.”
- عرقچین را زیر عمامه میپوشند. (araq-chin râ zir-e ammâme miپušand.) “The skullcap is worn under the turban.”
- اون عرقچین قشنگیه، کجا خریدیش؟ (un araq-chin qashangiye, kojâ kharidish?) “That is a nice skullcap, where did you buy it?”
- توی بازار کرمان عرقچینهای رنگی هم پیدا میشه. (tuy-e bâzâr-e Kermân araq-chinâ-ye rangi ham peydâ mishe.) “In the Kerman bazaar you can also find colourful skullcaps.”
Cultural note
The عرقچین has been part of Persian dress for centuries, worn by men of all walks of life from clergy to farmers. In religious settings it is often white or plain, while in folk and regional traditions it can be embroidered with colourful thread or decorated with mirror work. You will still see it worn today in bazaars, mosques, and rural communities across Iran. Outside Iran, similar caps carry different names in Turkish and Central Asian traditions, but the Persian term عرقچین is specific to the Iranian cultural context.