What it means
لکلک (laklak) means stork, the tall, long-legged migratory bird with white and black feathers and a long red bill. The word comes from Arabic laqlaq, which is onomatopoeic in origin, echoing the clapping sound the stork makes with its bill. Arabic laqlaq has roots that connect to ancient Semitic, with the Akkadian word laqlaqqu naming the same bird and likely serving as an early relative in the broader Semitic family. Persian borrowed the word directly from Arabic. In Persian, لکلک is the standard everyday word for this bird. There is no common native Persian alternative in wide use.
How to use it
- لکلک روی لونهاش نشسته بود. (Laklak rooye lune-ash nashaste bood.) “The stork was sitting on its nest.”
- لکلکها بالای دودکش لونه میسازن. (Laklak-ha bâlaye doodkesh lune misâzan.) “Storks build nests on top of chimneys.”
- امسال لکلکها دیر اومدن. (Emsâl laklak-ha dir oomadan.) “The storks came late this year.”
- بچهها فکر میکنن لکلک بچه میاره. (Bacheh-ha fekr mikonan laklak bacheh miyâre.) “Children think the stork brings babies.”
Cultural note
The stork is a familiar migratory visitor to Iran, particularly in the northern and western regions. Like in many European cultures, Iranian children’s stories sometimes depict the stork as a deliverer of newborns, and the image is playfully recognized in modern Persian culture. In rural areas, storks nesting on a rooftop or chimney are considered a good omen for the household. The bird’s dramatic size and its annual return make it a recognizable marker of the seasons.