What it means
حراج (harâj) refers to a sale, clearance event, or public auction. The word entered Persian from Arabic, where it carried the sense of a public auction or bidding event. In everyday modern Persian, it is used for both formal auctions and informal clearance sales where goods are sold cheaply. A close synonym is فروش ویژه (forush-e vijeh), meaning a special sale, though حراج often implies a more dramatic price drop or a public bidding context.
How to use it
- امروز حراج بزرگی توی بازار بود. (emruz harâj-e bozorgi tu-ye bâzâr bud.) “There was a big clearance sale at the market today.”
- این کتابها رو حراج کردن. (in ketâb-hâ ro harâj kardan.) “They put these books on clearance.”
- فروش حراجی شروع شده. (forush-e harâji shoru’ shode.) “The clearance sale has started.”
- قیمتش حراجیه. (gheymatesh harâjiye.) “The price on it is a steal.”
Cultural note
In Iran, حراج events are a familiar part of shopping culture, especially around the Persian New Year (Nowruz) and at the end of seasons. Official government auctions of seized or surplus goods are also called حراج. The word carries a sense of urgency: goods sold at حراج are expected to go quickly and at unusually low prices. Online platforms have also adopted the term for flash sales and bidding events.