Glossary

نارنجی (nârenji) means “orange,” the color named after the bitter orange fruit نارنج (nâranj).

سیاه (siyâh) means “black.” Persian’s color of mourning, fortune, and the unblinking night.

زرد (zard) means “yellow.” Carries the symbolism of autumn leaves and sadness in Persian poetry.

سبز (sabz) means “green.” Carries weight in Persian poetry, Shia symbolism, and the 2009 protest movement.

سرخ (sorkh) means “red” in the literary register. Used for roses, blood, and the red Tehran football club.

سفید (sefid) means “white.” Used for the bride’s dress, white rice, and white hair.

آبی (âbi) means “blue.” Built from آب (water), so the etymology is literally “water-colored.”