What it means
رومیزی (rumizi) means “tablecloth” or “table runner,” any cloth or covering laid on top of a table. It is a pure Persian compound: رو (ru, “on top of”) plus میز (miz, “table”) plus the suffix ی, giving it the sense of “the thing on the table.” The word covers both a full tablecloth and a narrower decorative runner. A closely related term is سفره (sofre), which specifically refers to the cloth spread on the floor or a low table during traditional Iranian meals.
How to use it
- رومیزی رو عوض کن، چرک شده. (rumizi ro avaz kon, cherk shode.) “Change the tablecloth, it has gotten dirty.”
- یه رومیزی قشنگ انداخت رو میز. (ye rumizi-ye ghashang andâkht ru miz.) “She spread a pretty tablecloth on the table.”
- رومیزی گلدوزیشده رو برای مهمونی آوردیم. (rumizi-ye golduzishode ro barâye mehmuni âvordim.) “We brought out the embroidered tablecloth for the party.”
- رومیزی رو از لباسشویی دراوردم. (rumizi ro az lebâsshuyi darâvordam.) “I took the tablecloth out of the washing machine.”
Cultural note
In Iranian households, a clean and presentable rumizi is considered part of proper hospitality, especially when guests are expected. Many families keep an embroidered or lace rumizi for special occasions, distinct from the everyday one. The rumizi sits alongside the sofre as a symbol of how much care a host puts into welcoming people to the table.