What it means
مزایا (mazâyâ) refers to the benefits, perks, or privileges that come with a job or position, things beyond the base salary such as health insurance, housing allowance, transport, or meal vouchers. The word is the Arabic broken plural of مزیّه (maziyya), meaning a distinguishing advantage or merit, and it entered Persian as a formal borrowing. In everyday speech Persians might say امکانات (emkânât, facilities or provisions) or just حقوق و مزایا (hoqooq va mazâyâ, salary and benefits) as a fixed phrase used in job advertisements and employment contracts.
How to use it
- حقوق و مزایاش خوبه. (hoqooq va mazâyâsh khobe.) “The salary and benefits are good.”
- مزایای این شغل چیه؟ (mazâyâ-ye in shoghl chiye?) “What are the benefits of this job?”
- بیمه جزء مزایاست. (bime joz-e mazâyâst.) “Insurance is part of the benefits.”
- مزایای غیرنقدی هم داریم. (mazâyâ-ye gheyr-e naqdi ham dârim.) “We also have non-cash benefits.”
Cultural note
In Iranian job postings, the phrase حقوق و مزایا (hoqooq va mazâyâ) is almost always listed as a single unit, since both components together define the true value of a compensation package. Common مزایا in Iranian workplaces include mandatory health insurance (بیمه تامین اجتماعی), Nowruz bonuses (عیدی), and sometimes housing or transport subsidies. Government employees (کارمندان دولت) typically receive a broader and more standardised set of مزایا than private sector workers, which is one reason why civil service positions remain attractive despite lower base salaries.