What it means
پهنا (pahnâ) is a native Persian word formed from the adjective پهن (pahn), meaning wide or broad, which traces back to Middle Persian and ultimately to Old Iranian roots. The suffix -â converts the adjective into a noun of dimension, just as درازا (derâzâ) derives from دراز (long). پهنا means width or breadth, the side-to-side measurement of an object or space. In school geometry, the three dimensions are طول (length), پهنا or عرض (width), and ارتفاع (height). عرض (arz, from Arabic) is a close synonym used more commonly in formal and geographic contexts, while پهنا sounds more native and everyday.
How to use it
- پهنای این در چقدره؟ (pahnâ-ye in dar chaqadre?) “What is the width of this door?”
- جاده خیلی پهنا داره. (jâde kheili pahnâ dâre.) “The road is very wide.”
- طول و پهنای فرش رو بده بهم. (tul-o pahnâ-ye farsh ro bede beham.) “Give me the length and width of the carpet.”
- پهنای شونههاش زیاده. (pahnâ-ye shune-hâsh ziâde.) “He has very broad shoulders.”
Cultural note
The native Persian roots for spatial dimensions, پهن and دراز, appear frequently in descriptive Persian poetry and prose to convey the physical world, in contrast to the Arabic-origin technical terms (عرض, طول) that dominate formal and scientific writing. In the bazaar or at a fabric stall, a vendor is more likely to say پهنا چقدره (what is the width?) than عرض چقدره, making پهنا the more market-friendly, conversational choice. The word also appears in the compound پهنه (pahne), meaning a broad plain or expanse, which is used in geography and literature to describe open landscapes.