What it means
نقش (naqsh) means pattern, motif, design, or engraved image. The word entered Persian from Arabic, where it comes from the triliteral root ن-ق-ش (n-q-sh), relating to engraving, carving, and depiction. In Persian it is used for the visual patterns woven into carpets, painted onto tiles, or carved into plaster. The word also extends to roles or parts in a play or film: نقش بازی کردن (naqsh bâzi kardan) means to play a role. A close synonym in the design sense is طرح (tarh), which leans more toward a plan or draft rather than a finished repeating motif.
How to use it
- نقش این فرش خیلی قشنگه. (Naqsh-e in farsh khyli qashnge.) “The pattern on this carpet is very beautiful.”
- دیوارها پر از نقشهای هندسیه. (Divârâ por az naqsh-hâye hendasiye.) “The walls are covered in geometric patterns.”
- اون نقش اصلی فیلم رو بازی کرد. (Oon naqsh-e asli-ye film ro bâzi kard.) “He played the lead role in the film.”
- نقش قالی دستبافه. (Naqsh-e qâli dastbâfte.) “The carpet pattern is hand-woven.”
Cultural note
Persian carpet weaving is one of the oldest continuous art traditions in the world, and نقش is at its center. Each regional style, from Tabriz to Kerman to Qashqai, has its own signature نقش that weavers pass down through generations. The famous Ardabil Carpet, housed in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, is an example of a masterwork where the precision of the نقش defines the entire artistic achievement. Beyond carpets, نقش appears in the names of the ancient rock reliefs at Naqsh-e Rostam near Persepolis, where نقش simply means carved image.