What it means
روده (rude) is the everyday Persian word for the intestine or gut, the long tube where food is digested after the stomach. It is a native Persian term, going back through Middle Persian to old Iranian roots, so it is not a borrowing from Arabic. In more clinical talk you may hear رودهی کوچک (rude-ye kuchak, “small intestine”) and رودهی بزرگ (rude-ye bozorg, “large intestine”). A close everyday word for the belly area in general is شکم (shekam, “stomach, belly”), but روده points specifically at the intestines.
How to use it
- دلم درد میکنه، فکر کنم رودهم ناراحته. (delam dard mikone, fekr konam rude-am narahate.) “My stomach hurts, I think my gut is upset.”
- دکتر گفت التهاب روده دارم. (doktor goft eltehab-e rude daram.) “The doctor said I have an inflammation of the intestine.”
- این غذا برای روده سنگینه. (in ghaza baraye rude sangine.) “This food is heavy on the gut.”
- اینقدر رودهدرازی نکن، اصل مطلب رو بگو. (inghadr rude-derazi nakon, asl-e matlab ro begu.) “Stop being so long-winded, get to the point.”
Cultural note
روده shows up in one of the most common Persian idioms: رودهدرازی (rude-derazi), literally “intestine-lengthening,” which means going on and on and talking too much. Telling someone رودهدرازی نکن is a normal, mildly impatient way to say “keep it short.” There is also the playful phrase رودهی کوچیکه رودهی بزرگه رو خورد (rude-ye kuchike rude-ye bozorge ro khord, “the small intestine ate the large one”), which people say when they are extremely hungry.