What it means
کمردرد (kamar-dard) is the everyday Persian word for “back pain,” specifically pain in the lower back. It is a native Persian compound built from کمر (kamar, “waist” or “lower back”) and درد (dard, “pain”), so both parts are genuinely Persian. People use it for anything from a nagging ache after a long day to a sharp pain that makes it hard to stand up. A close relative is پشتدرد (posht-dard, “upper back pain”), but کمردرد points lower, around the waist and lower spine.
How to use it
- کمرم درد میکنه (kamaram dard mikone) “My lower back hurts.”
- چند روزه کمردرد دارم (chand ruze kamardard daram) “I’ve had back pain for a few days.”
- از بس نشستم کمرم گرفت (az bas neshastam kamaram gereft) “I sat so long my lower back seized up.”
- برای کمردردت دکتر رفتی؟ (baraye kamardardet doktor rafti?) “Did you see a doctor about your back pain?”
Cultural note
Back pain is one of the most common complaints people mention in daily Persian conversation, and کمردرد comes up constantly among people who sit at desks, drive a lot, or do physical labor. A very common home remedy people talk about is a کیسه آب گرم (kise-ye ab-e garm, “hot water bottle”) pressed against the lower back. Older relatives often blame کمردرد on lifting something heavy or sitting on a cold surface, and you will frequently hear the advice to keep the waist warm.