What it means
سنگ (sang) is the everyday Persian word for stone or rock, covering everything from a pebble on the street to a cliff face. It is a pure-Persian word with roots in Old Iranian and has been in continuous use from ancient inscriptions to modern conversation. A close related noun is کوه (kuh), meaning mountain, which is the larger landform that sang is part of. In compound words sang appears constantly: سنگ قبر (sang-e qabr) is a gravestone, and سنگ تمام گذاشتن (sang-e tamâm gozâshtan) is an idiom meaning to go all out for someone.
How to use it
- این سنگ خیلی سنگینه. (in sang kheyli sangineh.) “This stone is very heavy.”
- بچهها سنگ پرتاب کردن. (bachehâ sang partâb kardan.) “The kids threw stones.”
- کف حمام سنگه. (kaf-e hammâm sangeh.) “The bathroom floor is stone.”
- دلش مثل سنگه. (delash mesl-e sangeh.) “His heart is like stone.”
Cultural note
Stone has a deep presence in Iranian material culture. The ancient city of Persepolis was built entirely from limestone, and traditional Persian architecture relies on stone for columns, floors, and decorative carvings. In popular speech, سنگ تمام گذاشتن (sang-e tamâm gozâshtan), literally placing the complete stone, means going above and beyond for a guest or loved one, a phrase rooted in the stonemason tradition of laying a perfect final stone. Turquoise, the national gemstone of Iran, is called فیروزه (firuzeh) and is itself a form of sang.