What it means
ماهی قرمز (mâhi-ye ghermez), literally “red fish,” is the everyday Persian name for goldfish. The compound is mixed in origin: ماهی (mâhi, fish) is native Persian, while قرمز (ghermez, red) entered Persian through Arabic qirmiz, which itself traces to the crimson dye. In Iran ماهی قرمز carries a specific cultural weight because goldfish are one of the seven items placed on the Haft-Sin table at Nowruz, symbolising life and vitality. The formal zoological name for the species is کاراس طلایی, but nobody says that in conversation.
How to use it
- ماهی قرمز برای هفتسین گرفتیم. (mâhi-ye ghermez barâye haft-sin gereftim.) “We got goldfish for the Haft-Sin.”
- ماهی قرمزا رو باید هر روز غذا بدی. (mâhi-ye ghermez-â ro bâyad har ruz ghazâ bedi.) “You need to feed the goldfish every day.”
- تنگ ماهی قرمز رو کجا بذاریم؟ (tang-e mâhi-ye ghermez ro kojâ bezârim?) “Where should we put the goldfish bowl?”
- بچه عاشق ماهی قرمزشه. (bache âsheq-e mâhi-ye ghermezashe.) “The child loves his goldfish.”
Cultural note
The goldfish on the Haft-Sin table is one of the most recognisable symbols of Iranian New Year. It represents life (زندگی, zendegi) and the renewal that Nowruz marks. In the days before Nowruz, street vendors across Iran sell goldfish in plastic bags, and the fish often end up in outdoor pools (حوض, howz) after the holiday. Animal welfare concerns about the trade have grown in recent years, with some families choosing to release their fish into garden ponds or donate them to parks rather than keeping them in small bowls.