What it means
دوربرگردان (dowr-bargardân) refers to a designated U-turn area or turning bay built into a road or highway, allowing drivers to reverse direction legally. The word is a compound of دور (dowr, meaning “turn” or “rotation,” borrowed from Arabic دَوْر) and برگردان (bargardân, from برگشتن, “to return,” native Persian), making it a mixed-origin compound. In practical use it refers to the physical gap or loop in a median where vehicles can turn around. You will also hear راهگردان (râhgardân) or کانتر (kânter, from English “counter”) in some regions, but دوربرگردان is the standard formal and informal term.
How to use it
- دوربرگردان بعدی رو بگیر و برگرد. (dowr-bargardân ba’di ro begir o bargard.) “Take the next U-turn and come back.”
- اینجا دوربرگردان نیست، باید بری تا میدون. (injâ dowr-bargardân nist, bâyad beri tâ meydun.) “There is no U-turn here, you have to go all the way to the roundabout.”
- پلیس جلوی دوربرگردان وایساده بود. (polis jelo-ye dowr-bargardân vâysâdeh bud.) “A police officer was standing in front of the U-turn.”
- از اون دوربرگردان برو سمت راست. (az oon dowr-bargardân boro samte râst.) “From that U-turn, go to the right.”
Cultural note
On Iranian expressways and urban highways, دوربرگردان openings are spaced at regular intervals and are sometimes the only legal way to change direction for several kilometres. Missing the right one can add significant time to a journey, so telling someone “دوربرگردان بگیر” (dowr-bargardân begir, “take the U-turn”) is a staple of passenger-seat navigation. Traffic police regularly monitor these points during peak hours, especially in Tehran.