What it means
گمرک (gomrok) means customs, referring both to the government agency that controls imports and exports and to the physical inspection point at a border crossing or airport. The word reached Persian via Ottoman Turkish gümrük, which in turn derives from Byzantine Greek kommerkion, a commercial tax levied on goods. Persian took the word during the centuries of close contact with Ottoman administration. گمرک can refer to the institution (سازمان گمرک, sâzmân-e gomrok, the Customs Organization) or the act of clearing customs (از گمرک رد شدن, az gomrok radd shodan, to pass through customs). A common related phrase is عوارض گمرکی (avârez-e gomroki), meaning customs duties or tariffs.
How to use it
- جنسامو گمرک نگه داشت. (jensâmo gomrok negah dâsht.) “Customs held my goods.”
- از گمرک رد شدیم. (az gomrok radd shodim.) “We cleared customs.”
- باید عوارض گمرکی بدی. (bâyad avârez-e gomroki bedi.) “You have to pay customs duties.”
- گمرک چمدونمو باز کرد. (gomrok chameduno bâz kard.) “Customs opened my suitcase.”
Cultural note
گمرک in Iran is administered by the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration. For travelers, the customs inspection at Iranian airports can be thorough, particularly for electronics, books, and items deemed culturally sensitive. Bringing in large amounts of foreign currency, gold, or certain goods requires declaration. For Iranians returning from abroad with purchased goods, the customs allowance limit and the informal negotiations that sometimes follow it are a well-known part of the homecoming experience.