What it means
پولشویی (pul-shuyi) literally means money-washing and is a calque, a direct structural translation, of the English term “money laundering.” The compound joins پول (pul, money), a word inherited from Middle Persian, and شویی (shuyi, washing), from the Persian verb شستن (shostan, to wash). Both morphemes are Persian, making this a fully native compound built on a translated concept. The result is a modern formal term for the crime of disguising the proceeds of illegal activity as legitimate funds. There is no single older Persian synonym; the concept and the word both entered the language together as the crime became internationally recognized.
How to use it
- متهم به جرم پولشویی محاکمه شد. (mottaham be jorm-e pul-shuyi mohâkeme shod.) “The accused was tried for the crime of money laundering.”
- بانکها موظف به گزارش معاملات مشکوک هستن. (bânk-hâ movazzaf be gozâresh-e moâmelât-e mashkuk hastan.) “Banks are required to report suspicious transactions.”
- پولشویی اغلب از طریق شرکتهای پوشالی انجام میشه. (pul-shuyi aghlaban az tariq-e sherkat-hâye pushâli anjâm mishe.) “Money laundering often happens through shell companies.”
- مبارزه با پولشویی اولویت دستگاه قضاییه. (mobâreze bâ pul-shuyi olaviyat-e dastgâh-e qazâyyiye.) “Combating money laundering is a priority of the judiciary.”
Cultural note
پولشویی became a recognized legal category in Iran’s penal code following international pressure to align with FATF (Financial Action Task Force) standards, an issue that has been a source of significant political debate in the country. Iran’s parliament passed anti-money-laundering legislation in 2008 and amendments since then, though the country has faced ongoing scrutiny over compliance. The term appears constantly in financial news, Central Bank announcements, and corruption prosecutions, making it one of the most recognizable C1-level legal terms for anyone who follows Persian-language media.