What it means
کاپوت (kâpot) is the Persian word for the hood or bonnet of a car, meaning the hinged metal cover that sits over the engine compartment at the front of the vehicle. It is a loanword from French capot, which historically referred to a cover or hood of various kinds. The word entered Persian along with the automobile itself in the early 20th century and became the standard term for this part. There is no competing native Persian word in everyday use; mechanics, drivers, and manufacturers all say کاپوت.
How to use it
- کاپوت رو وا کن ببینیم موتور چشه. (Kâpot ro vâ kon bebinim motor chesheh.) “Open the hood and let us see what is wrong with the engine.”
- کاپوتم باز موند. (Kâpot-am bâz mund.) “My hood stayed open.”
- یه خش روی کاپوت افتاده. (Ye khash ru-ye kâpot oftâde.) “A scratch has appeared on the hood.”
- زیر کاپوت رو نگاه کن. (Zir-e kâpot ro negâh kon.) “Look under the hood.”
Cultural note
Many automotive terms in Persian are French loanwords because France played a significant role in modernizing Iranian infrastructure and industry in the early 20th century, and French was the prestige language of technology and diplomacy in that era. Words like کاپوت, پنچر (panchar, puncture), and others entered Persian as a complete package with the cars themselves. Today کاپوت is used identically by professional mechanics and casual drivers, and it appears in car manuals and repair shops across the country.