What it means
داروخانه (dârukhâne) is the everyday Persian word for a pharmacy or chemist’s shop. It is a pure Persian compound: دارو (dâru) means medicine or drug, a word that goes back to Old Iranian, and خانه (khâne) means house or place. Put together, the word literally means “medicine house.” In casual speech you will also hear داروخانه used to refer to the pharmacist’s counter at a clinic. A common synonym in formal or administrative writing is داروفروشی (dâruforushi), meaning drug shop, but داروخانه is the term most Iranians use in daily life.
How to use it
- داروخانه کجاست؟ (dârukhâne kojâst?) “Where is the pharmacy?”
- باید بری داروخانه و این نسخه رو بدی. (bâyad beri dârukhâne o in noskheh ro bedi.) “You need to go to the pharmacy and hand in this prescription.”
- داروخانه تا ساعت ده شب بازه. (dârukhâne tâ sâ’at dah shab bâze.) “The pharmacy is open until ten at night.”
- مسکن از داروخانه بخر. (mosaken az dârukhâne bekhar.) “Buy a painkiller from the pharmacy.”
Cultural note
Pharmacies in Iran are heavily regulated by the Ministry of Health and are called داروخانه across the country regardless of whether they are private or state-run. Many Iranians seek a pharmacist’s advice before visiting a doctor, especially for common ailments like colds or digestive problems, making the داروخانه a first-line healthcare stop. In large cities, 24-hour pharmacies known as داروخانه شبانهروزی (dârukhâne-ye shabâne-ruzi) operate in each district on a rotating schedule.