What it means
بلور (bolur) means crystal or cut glass. The word traces back through Middle Persian bēlūr to Sanskrit vaiḍūrya by way of Pali veḷuriya; Arabic بلور (ballūr) was most likely borrowed from Persian rather than the reverse, per Encyclopaedia Iranica. In Persian the word describes two related things: the mineral crystal, meaning quartz or any faceted gemstone-like substance, and fine decorative glassware that resembles crystal. The adjective بلوری (boluri) means made of crystal or crystal-like, and بلورین (bolorin) is a more literary or poetic form with the same meaning. In figurative use, بلور conveys clarity and brilliance, as in صدای بلوری (sedâ-ye boluri), a crystal-clear voice.
How to use it
- ظرف بلوری (zarf-e boluri) “crystal glassware”
- صدای بلورین داره (sedâ-ye bolori-n dâre) “She has a crystal-clear voice.”
- گلدون بلوری (goldun-e boluri) “crystal vase”
- مثل بلور شفافه (mesl-e bolur shafâfe) “It is as transparent as crystal.”
Cultural note
Crystal glassware holds a particular place in Iranian home culture. Fine ظرف بلوری is a valued wedding gift and a standard feature of the formal china cabinet (ویترین, vitrin) that many Iranian households keep in the main reception room. Displaying imported or high-quality crystal pieces signals hospitality and taste. On special occasions and during Nowruz, the crystal items come out of the cabinet and onto the table, signaling that guests are being received with the household’s best.
References
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