What it means
پنجره (panjare) means window, the opening in a wall that lets in light and air. The exact origin of the word is debated. It is related to Sanskrit पञ्जर (pañjara, cage, lattice), which fits its earliest architectural meaning: the wooden lattice screens, called orsi, that were typical of traditional Iranian houses. Today پنجره refers to any window, whether a simple single pane or a double-glazed modern unit. A related term is درِ پنجره (dar-e panjare), the window frame or sash.
How to use it
- پنجره رو ببند، سرده. (panjare ro bebband, sarde.) “Close the window, it is cold.”
- از پنجره میشه کوه دید. (az panjare mishe kuh did.) “You can see the mountains from the window.”
- پنجرهها دوجدارهان. (panjare-hâ dojedâre-an.) “The windows are double-glazed.”
- نور از پنجره میاد تو. (nur az panjare miyâd tu.) “The light is coming in through the window.”
Cultural note
The traditional Iranian orsi window, a tall wooden lattice screen filled with colored stained glass, was an architectural solution to the harsh summer heat. Individual panels could be opened or closed to control ventilation and shade. Cities like Shiraz and Isfahan still have historic homes where these original پنجرههای ارسی (orsi windows) survive, casting colored light across tiled floors in the afternoons.