What it means
جنوب شرق (jonub-e shargh) is the Persian term for southeast, the compass direction midway between south and east. Both parts come from Arabic: جنوب (jonub) from the Arabic janub meaning south, and شرق (shargh) from the Arabic sharq meaning east. In spoken Persian the ezafe connector ـِ (e) links them, making jonub-e shargh. The term is used in weather forecasts, maps, news reports, and everyday speech when giving directions. Its opposite is شمال غرب (shomâl-e gharb), northwest. A related term is جنوب غرب (jonub-e gharb), southwest.
How to use it
- شهر ما جنوب شرق تهرانه. (shahre mâ jonub-e shargh-e tehrâne.) “Our city is to the southeast of Tehran.”
- باد از جنوب شرق میاد. (bâd az jonub-e shargh miyâd.) “The wind is coming from the southeast.”
- آسیای جنوب شرقی خیلی زیباست. (âsiyâ-ye jonub-e sharghi kheyli zibâst.) “Southeast Asia is very beautiful.”
- در جنوب شرق کشور چند استان مهم هستن. (dar jonub-e shargh-e keshvar chand ostân-e mohem hastan.) “There are several important provinces in the southeast of the country.”
Cultural note
The southeastern quadrant of Iran encompasses Sistan and Baluchestan province, one of the country’s most remote and historically distinct regions, bordering Pakistan and Afghanistan. In Persian news media the phrase جنوب شرق often appears in reports about this border zone, including references to the ancient city of Zabol and the Hamoun wetlands. More broadly, جنوب شرقی آسیا (jonub-e sharghi-ye âsiâ) is the standard Persian rendering of Southeast Asia, used in geography classes and international news coverage throughout Iran.