What it means
بخیل (bakhil) means stingy or miserly. The word comes directly from Arabic, built on the root ب-خ-ل (b-kh-l), which carries the core meaning of withholding what could be shared. In Persian it functions as a straightforward adjective and also as a noun: a بخیل is a miser. The noun form is بخل (bokhl), meaning stinginess. The direct opposite is سخاوتمند (sakhâvatmand, generous). A colloquial synonym sometimes used in informal speech is خسیس (khasis), which has the same meaning but a slightly harsher, more dismissive tone.
How to use it
- اون آدم بخیلیه، هیچوقت چیزی به کسی نمیده. (un âdam bakhilieh, hich waqt chizi be kasi nemide.) “That person is a miser, he never gives anything to anyone.”
- بخیل نباش، یه ذره بده به من. (bakhil nabâš, ye zarre bede be man.) “Don’t be stingy, give me a little.”
- با بخل نمیشه دوست پیدا کرد. (bâ bokhl nemishe dust peydâ kard.) “You can’t make friends through stinginess.”
- خیلی بخیله، حتی برای خودشم خرج نمیکنه. (kheyli bakhile, hattâ barâye khodesh kharj nemikone.) “He is so stingy, he won’t even spend money on himself.”
Cultural note
In a culture where hospitality and generosity are among the highest social virtues, being labelled بخیل is a serious social fault. Persian classical literature, including the poetry of Sa’di and Hafez, repeatedly condemns the miser as someone who has lost touch with the humane values of sharing and giving. In everyday life, refusing to treat guests generously or being tight with money in communal settings draws immediate social judgment. The contrast with سخاوت (generosity) is not merely practical but carries moral weight.