What it means
خشکشویی (khoshk-shuyi) means a dry cleaner’s or laundry shop. The compound is made of two pure Persian words: خشک (khoshk, dry) and شویی (shuyi, washing), from the verb شستن (shostan, to wash). Literally it means dry-washing, which mirrors the logic of the English term. The person who runs or works at a dry cleaner’s is a خشکشو (khoshkshu). A related word is رختشویی (rakht-shuyi, laundry or washing of clothes), though this more often refers to hand-washing or a laundromat than chemical cleaning.
How to use it
- کتم رو دادم خشکشویی. (katam ro dâdam khoshk-shuyi.) “I dropped my jacket off at the dry cleaner’s.”
- خشکشویی سر کوچه چند روز طول میکشه؟ (khoshk-shuyi-ye sare kuche chand ruz tul mikeshe?) “How many days does the dry cleaner’s on the corner take?”
- این لباس رو فقط باید خشکشویی کرد. (in lebâs ro faghat bâyad khoshk-shuyi kard.) “This garment can only be dry-cleaned.”
- خشکشویی بستهست، فردا بیا. (khoshk-shuyi baste-st, fardâ biyâ.) “The dry cleaner’s is closed, come back tomorrow.”
Cultural note
Dry cleaning shops are a fixture of Iranian city life and are found in virtually every urban neighbourhood. They handle not only formal clothes but also carpets, curtains, and traditional garments such as the chador. Before Nowruz, dry cleaners experience a surge in demand as families send winter coats, suits, and heavy fabrics for cleaning before the new year celebrations. Many neighbourhood khoshk-shuyi shops are family-run businesses that have served the same streets for generations.