What it means
نقاشی (naqqâshi) refers to the art of painting or drawing, and by extension to any individual painting or drawn work. The stem نقاش (naqqâsh) is Arabic in origin, derived from the root ن‑ق‑ش meaning to engrave or inscribe. Persian then added the abstract suffix ی (‑i) to create the noun for the activity or discipline, making نقاشی a mixed-origin word: Arabic stem with Persian suffix. A person who paints is a نقاش (naqqâsh). نقاشی sits alongside طراحی (tarrâhi, design or technical drawing) as a related term, though طراحی leans more toward design work while نقاشی centers on fine art.
How to use it
- نقاشی کار خلاقانهایه. (naqqâshi kâr-e khallâqâne-i-ye.) “Painting is a creative activity.”
- کلاس نقاشی دارم میرم. (kelâs-e naqqâshi dâram miram.) “I am going to a painting class.”
- این نقاشی رو کِی کشیدی؟ (in naqqâshi ro key keshidi?) “When did you paint this?”
- دیوارهای خونهش پر از نقاشیه. (divârhâ-ye khune-sh por az naqqâshi-ye.) “The walls of his house are full of paintings.”
Cultural note
Persian miniature painting is one of the great traditions in Islamic art, and نقاشی as a practice in Iran carries centuries of history. Classical miniature works, often illustrating epic poems such as the Shahnameh, were produced in workshops in Tabriz, Shiraz, and Isfahan from the medieval period onward. Today نقاشی covers everything from traditional miniature to contemporary abstract canvas work shown in Tehran’s galleries.