What it means
مرداب (mordâb) is a pure Persian compound built from مرده (morde, dead) and آب (âb, water): literally “dead water.” It describes a lagoon, stagnant pond, or marsh where water barely moves and becomes still. Unlike باتلاق, which emphasizes boggy ground and the danger of sinking, مرداب focuses on the quality of the water itself: calm, cut off from flowing sources, and often associated with reeds, wildlife, and a distinctive ecosystem.
How to use it
- مرداب انزلی یکی از بزرگترین مردابهای ایرانه. (mordâb-e Anzali yeki az bozorg-tarin mordâb-hâ-ye Irâne.) “Anzali Lagoon is one of Iran’s largest lagoons.”
- توی مرداب قورباغههای زیادی هست. (tu-ye mordâb qurbâghe-hâ-ye ziâdi hast.) “There are many frogs in the marsh.”
- آب مرداب ساکنه و تکون نمیخوره. (âb-e mordâb sâkene o tekun nemi-khore.) “The water of the lagoon is still and doesn’t move.”
- نزدیک مرداب پشه زیاده. (nazdik-e mordâb pashe ziâde.) “Near the marsh there are many mosquitoes.”
Cultural note
Anzali Lagoon (مرداب انزلی) on Iran’s Caspian coast is one of the country’s most recognized wetlands and a protected habitat for migratory birds. The word مرداب appears frequently in classical Persian poetry as an image of stagnation and decay, contrasted with the flowing river or the open sea. Environmentalists in Iran use مرداب regularly when discussing wetland conservation and the shrinking of water bodies due to drought.