What it means
پوست (pust) is the Persian word for “skin,” the outer covering of the body. The same word covers the peel or rind of fruit and vegetables, like an apple or an orange, and the hide or pelt of an animal. It is a native Persian word that goes back to Middle Persian “pōst” and ultimately Old Persian “pavastā.” A related word is پوسته (puste), meaning a shell, crust, or outer layer, used for things like an egg or the surface of bread.
How to use it
- پوستم خشک شده. (pustam khoshk shode.) “My skin has gotten dry.”
- پوست این سیب رو بکن. (puste in sib ro bekan.) “Peel this apple.”
- پوستش خیلی حساسه. (pustesh kheyli hassase.) “Her skin is very sensitive.”
- زیر آفتاب پوستم سوخت. (zire aftab pustam sukht.) “My skin got sunburned.”
Cultural note
پوست appears in a number of common Persian idioms. “پوست کلفت” (puste koloft), literally “thick skin,” describes someone who can take criticism or hardship without getting upset, much like the English “thick-skinned.” Another expression, “در پوست خود نگنجیدن” (dar puste khod nagonjidan), literally “to not fit in one’s own skin,” means to be overjoyed or beside oneself with delight. The word is also part of everyday talk about skincare and dryness, which matters in Iran’s hot, dry climate.