What it means
هیچ کس (hich kas) means “nobody” or “no one.” Both elements are pure Persian: هیچ (hich) is the negative indefinite particle, and کس (kas) means “person.” The compound negates the existence of any person in a given situation. Its direct antonym is هر کس (har kas, everyone / whoever). A close synonym in formal writing is هیچ کسی (hich kasi), where the indefinite suffix ی (i) is added, though in spoken Persian the two forms are largely interchangeable.
How to use it
- هیچ کس نیومد. (hich kas nayumad.) “Nobody came.”
- هیچ کس نمیدونه. (hich kas nemidune.) “Nobody knows.”
- هیچ کس بهم نگفت. (hich kas behem nagoft.) “Nobody told me.”
- هیچ کس اون جا نبود. (hich kas unjā nabud.) “There was nobody there.”
Cultural note
هیچ کس is one of the first negative pronouns Persian learners encounter, and it appears constantly in both formal and informal settings. Because Persian requires the verb to also be negative, sentences with هیچ کس always pair it with a verb prefixed by ن (n-). This grammatical rule is consistent across all registers. In traditional Persian poetry, کس alone sometimes carries the same “nobody” meaning without هیچ, which can surprise readers expecting the full compound.