What it means
عطر (atr) means scent, fragrance, or perfume. The word is borrowed from Arabic, where it carries the same core meaning of pleasant smell or aromatic substance. In Persian, عطر covers the full range: the natural fragrance of a flower, the smell of rose water, or a bottled perfume. A close synonym in more formal or poetic contexts is بوی خوش (buye khosh), meaning good smell, which is a native Persian phrase, but عطر is far more common in daily use for both natural and manufactured fragrances.
How to use it
- عطر این گل خیلی قویه. (atr-e in gol kheyli ghaviye.) “The scent of this flower is very strong.”
- یه عطر خوب زدی به خودت. (ye atr-e khub zadi be khodat.) “You put on a nice perfume.”
- عطر بهار نارنج تو هواست. (atr-e bahâr nâranj tu havâst.) “The fragrance of orange blossom is in the air.”
- این عطر رو از کجا خریدی؟ (in atr ro az kojâ kharidi?) “Where did you buy this perfume?”
Cultural note
Perfume and fragrance have held a central place in Iranian culture for thousands of years. Iran, and the Kashan region in particular, is historically famous for producing rose water (گلاب), which is both a culinary ingredient and a ritual purifying agent used in mosques and at shrines. The word عطر also appears frequently in Persian poetry as a metaphor for the lingering trace of a beloved person.