What it means
آرایشگاه (ârâyeshgâh) means a hair salon or barbershop. The word is built from two pure Persian elements: آرایش (ârâyesh, adornment or grooming), derived from the verb آراستن (ârâstan, to adorn or arrange), and the suffix گاه (gâh, a place where something happens). The person who works there is an آرایشگر (ârâyeshgar, hairdresser or barber). In practice, Iranians often distinguish between a women’s salon (آرایشگاه زنانه, ârâyeshgâh-e zanâne) and a men’s barbershop (آرایشگاه مردانه, ârâyeshgâh-e mardâne), as the two are always separate establishments in Iran.
How to use it
- فردا وقت آرایشگاه دارم. (fardâ vaghte ârâyeshgâh dâram.) “I have a salon appointment tomorrow.”
- آرایشگاه سر کوچهمون تازه باز شده. (ârâyeshgâh-e sare kucheamun tâze bâz shode.) “The salon at the top of our alley just opened.”
- چقدر طول کشید آرایشگاه؟ (cheghadr tul keshid ârâyeshgâh?) “How long did the salon take?”
- میخوام موهامو کوتاه کنم، کجا آرایشگاه خوب هست؟ (mikhâm muhâmo kutâh konam, kojâ ârâyeshgâh khub hast?) “I want to get my hair cut, where is there a good salon?”
Cultural note
In Iran, women’s salons and men’s barbershops are legally required to operate as completely separate premises, and women’s salons must have opaque windows or curtains facing the street. Despite this, Iranian salons, particularly women’s salons in Tehran and other cities, are known for high levels of skill in hair coloring, styling, and beauty treatments. A visit to the salon before Nowruz or a wedding is a near-universal ritual for Iranian women, and appointments can be booked weeks in advance during the holiday season.