کرسی

What it means

کرسی (korsi) “korsi” is a low wooden table placed over a heat source, traditionally a brazier of hot coals and today often a small electric heater, then covered with a large thick quilt (لحاف, lahâf). People sit around it on cushions and slide their legs underneath to stay warm. The word also means “chair” or “seat” in more formal and figurative senses (as in کرسی مجلس, a parliamentary seat).

How to use it

• بشین زیر کرسی (beshin zir-e korsi) “sit under the korsi”
• پاتو بکن تو کرسی (pâto bekon tu korsi) “tuck your foot into the korsi”
• کرسی رو روشن کن (korsi ro rowshan kon) “turn the korsi on”
• دور کرسی جمع شدیم (dowr-e korsi jam shodim) “we gathered around the korsi”

Cultural note

The korsi is a beloved winter ritual, especially in colder regions and on long Yalda nights. The whole family squeezes around it sharing tea, fruit, nuts and storytelling, and people famously doze off with their legs still tucked underneath. Central heating has made it rarer in big cities, but it remains a warm symbol of family togetherness.

References

• Dehkhoda
• Vajehyab