What it means
بشقاب (boshqâb) means “plate” or “dish.” The word was borrowed from Azerbaijani Turkic and is now fully integrated into everyday Persian. It refers to the flat or slightly concave tableware used for serving individual portions of food. A related term is ظرف (zarf), a more general word for any vessel or container, but when you want to say “a plate of food” at the table, بشقاب is the natural choice.
How to use it
- بشقابت رو بیار. (boshqâbet ro biyâr.) “Bring your plate.”
- یه بشقاب برنج بکش. (ye boshqâb berenj bekesh.) “Dish up a plate of rice.”
- بشقابها رو بذار توی سینک. (boshqâbhâ ro bezâr tu sink.) “Put the plates in the sink.”
- بشقابم خالیه. (boshqâbam khâliye.) “My plate is empty.”
Cultural note
At an Iranian family table, it is common to place a large communal serving dish in the centre and then let each person fill their own بشقاب. Serving someone else’s plate generously is a gesture of hospitality and care. Leaving a بشقاب completely clean is a polite signal that you have eaten well; in some households, leaving a little food signals you would accept a second helping if offered.