What it means
پررو (por-ru) is a lively colloquial Persian adjective meaning cheeky, shameless, or brazen. It is a native Persian compound of پر (por, full) and رو (ru, face), so it literally means full-faced, referring to someone whose face shows no embarrassment, no hesitation, and no shame. In Persian culture the face (roo) is closely tied to honor and shame, so پررو describes a person who acts as if they have an unlimited supply of face, meaning they can do anything without blushing. It sits on a spectrum from مودب (mo’addab, polite) at one end to پررو at the other. It is almost always colloquial and carries a judgmental tone, though between friends it can be used with affection to tease someone being pushy.
How to use it
- چقدر پررویی! بدون اجازه وارد شدی؟ (chaqadr por-ruyi! bedune ejâze vâred shodi?) “You are so shameless! You walked in without permission?”
- این بچه خیلی پرروئه، هر چی بخواد میگیره. (in bachche kheyli por-rue, har chi bekhâd migire.) “This kid is very cheeky, he gets whatever he wants.”
- پررو نباش، نوبتت بده. (por-ru nabâsh, nobatet bede.) “Don’t be brazen, wait your turn.”
- با خنده گفت: تو که خیلی پرروئی، میدونم. (bâ khande goft: to ke kheyli por-ruyi, midoonam.) “She said with a laugh: I know you are quite the cheeky one.”
Cultural note
The concept of آبرو (âbru, honor, face) is fundamental to Iranian social life, and پررو is its direct opposite. Someone who is por-ru has discarded the social brake of shame (sharm) that governs polite behavior. In crowded urban settings like Tehran, the word is frequently used to describe people who cut in lines, talk over others, or make demands without regard for others. Yet among close friends and in comedy, being a little پررو is also celebrated as confidence and humor, so the word shifts meaning with the relationship and the smile behind it.