What it means
انحراف (enherâf) means deviation, departure from rules, or misconduct. It is borrowed directly from Arabic, where it is a Form VII verbal noun built on the root ح-ر-ف (h-r-f), relating to turning aside or veering off course. In Persian, the word is used in formal, legal, and administrative settings to describe anything that strays from an accepted norm, whether that is a person’s conduct, a vehicle drifting out of a lane, or a policy decision that contradicts official guidelines. A close contrast is تخلف (takhallof), which also means violation but tends to describe a concrete breach of a specific rule, whereas enherâf often implies a broader or more gradual deviation.
How to use it
- انحراف از قانون جرم محسوب میشود. (enherâf az qânun jorm mahsoob mishavad.) “Deviation from the law is considered a crime.”
- گزارش انحراف رفتاری کارمند به مدیریت ارسال شد. (gozâresh-e enherâf-e raftâri-ye kârmand be modiryat ersâl shod.) “A report on the employee’s behavioural misconduct was sent to management.”
- انحراف از مسیر اصلی ممنوع است. (enherâf az masir-e asli mamnu ast.) “Deviation from the main route is prohibited.”
- هیچ انحرافی از روشهای تصویبشده پذیرفته نمیشود. (hich enherâfi az ravesh-hâye tasvib-shode pazirofte nemishavad.) “No deviation from the approved procedures will be accepted.”
Cultural note
In Iranian official discourse, انحراف carries a strong moral and ideological charge beyond its bureaucratic meaning. Government and judicial documents frequently invoke the term when describing conduct seen as straying from religious or civic norms, making it a word with both legal and political weight. In everyday speech, most Farsi speakers would opt for simpler words for minor rule-breaking, reserving enherâf for written reports, court documents, and formal complaints.