What it means
کایاک (kâyâk) names the narrow, enclosed paddle boat used in water sports and racing. The word traces back to the Inuit word qajaq, and reached Persian through English. The Persian spelling کایاک mirrors the English form kayak. It is distinct from a regular قایق (qâyeq, rowboat) in that a kayak is typically closed around the paddler and propelled with a double-bladed paddle. There is no older native Persian alternative for this specific craft.
How to use it
- دیروز با کایاک رفتیم روی رودخونه. (diruz bâ kâyâk raftim ru-ye rudkhune.) “Yesterday we went kayaking on the river.”
- مسابقهی کایاک چهارشنبهست. (mosâbeqe-ye kâyâk châharshanbe-st.) “The kayak race is on Wednesday.”
- کایاکسواری برام ترسناک بود اول. (kâyâk-savâri baram tarsnâk bud avval.) “Kayaking was scary for me at first.”
- یه کایاک دونفره کرایه کردیم. (ye kâyâk-e donafre kerâye kardim.) “We rented a two-person kayak.”
Cultural note
Kayaking is a growing recreational sport in Iran, particularly on rivers such as the Karun in Khuzestan and on the Aras river in the northwest. Iranian athletes have competed in international kayaking events under the flag of the Iranian Canoe Federation. The sport attracts younger urban Iranians looking for outdoor adventure, and the word کایاک is used without modification in sporting media and Olympic coverage.