What it means
گلدان (goldan) means “flower pot” or “vase,” the container you fill with soil to grow flowers or place cut blooms. It is a native Persian compound: گل (gol, flower) joined to دان (dan, a suffix meaning holder or container, as in نمکدان, the salt cellar). The word is neutral in register and used by everyone from children to grandparents. A close related word is باغچه (baghche, small garden bed), which is where you plant directly in the ground rather than in a pot.
How to use it
- گلدان رو آب دادی؟ (goldan ro ab dadi?) “Did you water the flower pot?”
- یه گلدان بزرگ خریدم برای بالکن. (ye goldan bozorg kharidam baraye balkon.) “I bought a big flower pot for the balcony.”
- گلدون شکست. (goldun shekast.) “The flower pot broke.” (colloquial vowel shift)
- این گلدان رو کجا بذاریم؟ (in goldan ro koja bezarim?) “Where should we put this flower pot?”
Cultural note
Flower pots are central to Iranian domestic life, particularly on balconies and in courtyards, where greenery is considered a sign of a warm and welcoming home. At Nowruz, the Persian New Year, گلدان filled with hyacinths and wheat sprouts (سبزه) are placed on the haft-sin table as symbols of growth and renewal. Gifting a گلدان with a flowering plant is a common and appreciated gesture in Iranian social culture.