What it means
قاضی (qâzi) means judge. The word is borrowed from Arabic, where it is the Form I active participle of the root ق-ض-ي (q-d-y), meaning to judge, to decide, or to pass a decree. In Persian it refers exclusively to a judge in a formal court of law. There is no widely used colloquial synonym: قاضی is the standard term across all registers when referring to the judicial role. The plural is قضات (ghozât) in formal writing, though قاضیها is used in everyday speech.
How to use it
- قاضی حکم رو خوند. (qâzi hokm ro khund.) “The judge read the verdict.”
- قاضی دادگاه جلسه رو تموم کرد. (qâzi-ye dâdgâh jalase ro tamum kard.) “The court judge ended the session.”
- وکیلم گفت قاضی سختگیره. (vakilam goft qâzi sakhtgire.) “My lawyer said the judge is strict.”
- اون قاضی دادگاه انقلابه. (un qâzi-ye dâdgâh-e enqelâbie.) “He is a judge at the Revolutionary Court.”
Cultural note
In Iran’s judiciary, which operates under Islamic jurisprudence, the role of قاضی carries significant authority. Judges are appointed through a process overseen by the head of the judiciary, and the position requires both legal training and, in many courts, religious credentials. The Revolutionary Courts (دادگاه انقلاب) are a particularly high-profile branch of the Iranian judicial system and their قاضی figures frequently appear in news coverage of politically sensitive trials. The word also appears in historical Persian literature and classical texts, reflecting its centuries-long presence in the language.