از دماغ فیل افتاده
Az damâgh-e fil oftâde literally means “fell from the elephant’s nose.” Figuratively, it describes someone snobbish, conceited, acting too good for everyone else. Pure Iranian sarcasm.
Glossary
پا تو کفش کسی کردن
Pâ tu kafsh-e kasi kardan literally means “to put your foot in someone’s shoe.” Figuratively, it means to interfere in someone’s affairs, meddle where you don’t belong, butt in.
کلاه گذاشتن سر کسی
Kolâh gozâshtan sar-e kasi literally means “to put a hat on someone’s head.” Figuratively, it means to deceive, swindle, or pull one over on someone. The classic Iranian idiom for getting conned.
خر تو خر
Khar tu khar literally means “donkey on donkey.” Figuratively, it means total chaos, a free-for-all, a situation with no rules, no order, no one in charge. Pure mess.
دل به دریا زدن
Del be daryâ zadan literally means “to throw the heart to the sea.” Figuratively, it means to take a brave leap, commit fully to a risky decision, stop hesitating and just go for it.
رو دست خوردن
Ru dast khordan means “to be tricked” or “to be outsmarted.” The literal image is getting hit on the back of the hand, the figurative meaning is getting played, conned, or swindled.
زیر آب زدن
Zir-e âb zadan literally means “to hit underwater.” Figuratively, it means to undermine someone secretly, sabotage them behind their back, or talk dirt about them to a boss or superior.
از این ستون به آن ستون
Az in sotun be ân sotun faraj ast is a Persian proverb meaning “between this pillar and that one, there’s relief.” Give the situation time, things shift on their own.
حرف تو دهنم گذاشت
Harf tu dahanam gozâsht literally means “he put words in my mouth.” A colloquial expression for when someone twists what you said, or tells you what to say before you’ve said it.
شتر دیدی ندیدی
Shotor didi, nadidi literally means “you saw a camel, you didn’t.” A colloquial proverb meaning “forget you saw anything, keep quiet.” Used to ask for discretion about a secret or awkward sight.