What it means
کاردک (kârdak) means spatula or flipper: the flat, thin-bladed utensil you use to slide under food in a pan and turn it over. It is formed from کارد (kârd, knife or blade), a native Persian word, plus the diminutive suffix -ک, giving the sense of a small blade or little knife-like tool. The word captures the shape well: a broad, flat blade on a handle. In colloquial speech you may also hear اسپاتول (espâtol), borrowed from the French spatule, but کاردک remains the standard Persian term. A palette knife used in baking or decoration is sometimes called کاردک as well.
How to use it
- با کاردک زیر ماهی رو بگیر. (Bâ kârdak zire mâhi ro begir.) “Use the spatula to get under the fish.”
- کاردک رو بعد از استفاده بشور. (Kârdak ro bad az estefâde beshu.) “Wash the spatula after using it.”
- کجا گذاشتی کاردک رو؟ (Kojâ gozâshti kârdak ro?) “Where did you put the spatula?”
- یه کاردک سیلیکونی بخر که خط نیفته رو تابه. (Ye kârdak-e silikoni bekhar ke khatt niyofte ru tâbe.) “Buy a silicone spatula so the pan does not get scratched.”
Cultural note
The کاردک is a practical staple in Iranian home kitchens, essential for turning kotlet (pan-fried patties of meat and potato) and fish fillets without breaking them. Because many traditional Iranian dishes are cooked in wide shallow pans over medium heat, a good-quality wide-bladed کاردک is considered a basic and important kitchen tool. Silicone versions have become popular in recent years alongside non-stick cookware, replacing the older metal-bladed versions that could damage pan surfaces.