What it means
چشمم در آمد (cheshmam dar âmad) literally means “my eye came out.” Figuratively it expresses shock, astonishment, or strain, the eyes-popping-out reaction to something unexpected.
Colloquial only. Sometimes also “my eyes hurt from looking/searching.”
How to use it
- قیمتشو دیدم چشمم در اومد (gheymatesho didam cheshmam dar umad) “I saw the price and nearly fell over”
- چشمم در اومد دنبالش گشتم (cheshmam dar umad donbâlesh gashtam) “I searched until my eyes fell out”
- چشات در بیاد! (cheshât dar biyâd!) “May your eyes fall out!” (mock curse to a kid)
The literal meaning
چشم (cheshm, eye) + م (-am, my) + در آمد (dar âmad, came out). “My eye came out.” Persian idiom often anchors emotion in body parts physically reacting.
The figurative meaning
Two main readings. First: extreme shock at a price, a sight, a number, the eyes-popped-out reaction. Second: eye-strain from looking too long for something. Tone and context separate them.
When you’d say it
You check the price tag on a small carpet at the bazaar and say بابا، چشمم در اومد.
Cultural note
Persian wraps surprise in body-failure language. Related idioms: نفسم بند اومد (my breath stopped), دلم ریخت (my heart dropped), موهام سفید شد (my hair turned white). The eye version is especially tied to seeing a shocking price or visual, perfect for bazaar haggling stories.
References
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