کارمند

What it means

کارمند (kârmand) means “office worker,” “clerk,” or “salaried employee.” The compound joins کار (kâr) “work” with the suffix مند (mand), which marks possession or association. The word implies white-collar, salaried work rather than manual labor.

How to use it

• کارمند بانک (kârmand-e bânk) “bank clerk”
• کارمند دولت (kârmand-e dolat) “government employee”
• کارمند ساده (kârmand-e sâde) “rank-and-file employee”

Common pairings and workplace context

• کارمند رسمی (kârmand-e rasmi) “official/permanent employee”
• کارمند قراردادی (kârmand-e gharârdâdi) “contract employee”
• اداره (edâre) “office, government bureau” (where کارمندها work)
• حقوق کارمندی (hoghugh-e kârmandi) “office salary”

Cultural note

Being a کارمند دولت was the gold standard of stability for generations of Iranians, offering pensions, housing loans, and حقوق پایه (base salary) tied to the public payroll. The 7-to-2 government office hours and the long lunch break shape daily rhythms in Tehran’s administrative districts. Compare with پزشک and مهندس (mohandes), the other professional anchors.

References

• Dehkhoda
• Vajehyab