What it means
رکود (rokud) means recession, stagnation, or a standstill. The word comes from Arabic, from the root ر-ک-د, which conveys the idea of stillness and lack of movement. In Persian it is used primarily in formal and economic contexts to describe a period when business activity slows sharply, markets contract, or trade grinds to a halt. A close contrast is رونق (rawneq), which means prosperity or a boom, making the two natural opposites in economic discussion.
How to use it
- اقتصاد کشور در رکود است. (eqtesad-e keshvar dar rokud ast.) “The country’s economy is in recession.”
- بازار مسکن دچار رکود شدیدی شده. (bazar-e maskan dochar-e rokud-e shadidi shode.) “The housing market has fallen into a severe stagnation.”
- دولت سعی میکند از رکود جلوگیری کند. (dowlat sa’i mi-kone az rokud jelogiri kone.) “The government is trying to prevent a recession.”
- بعد از تحریمها رکود اقتصادی شدت گرفت. (ba’d az tahrim-ha rokud-e eqtesadi sheddat gereft.) “After the sanctions, the economic recession deepened.”
Cultural note
The word رکود appears constantly in Iranian news coverage of economic policy, particularly when discussing the effects of international sanctions or currency devaluation on everyday Iranians. Because Iran has experienced repeated periods of sharp inflation alongside economic contraction, the term carries real weight in daily conversations, not just formal policy debate. Ordinary speakers at the bazaar or in a family discussion about household finances will use رکود naturally, though always in its serious, formal sense rather than casually.