What it means
سرباز (sarbâz) means soldier, and it is a native Persian compound. It combines سر (sar, head) and باز (bâz, one who plays or risks something), giving a vivid literal image of a person who stakes their head, that is, someone willing to risk their life. The word is used for ordinary soldiers and conscripts rather than for officers, who are called افسر (afsar). Because Iran has mandatory military service, سرباز is a word most Iranian men encounter personally. A related term is سرباز وظیفه (sarbâz-e vazife), meaning conscript soldier, as opposed to نیروهای داوطلب (volunteer forces).
How to use it
- برادرم الان سرباز است. (barâdaram alân sarbâz ast.) “My brother is a soldier right now.”
- سربازها از مرز محافظت میکنند. (sarbâzhâ az marz mohâfezat mikonand.) “The soldiers guard the border.”
- چند ماه دیگه سربازیم تموم میشه. (chand mâh digeh sarbâzim tamum mishe.) “My military service ends in a few more months.”
- اون سرباز جوونی بود که تازه اومده بود. (un sarbâz-e javuni bud ke tâze umade bud.) “He was a young soldier who had just arrived.”
Cultural note
In Iran, mandatory military service (سربازی, sarbâzi) requires most male citizens to serve roughly two years after turning 18. The experience of سربازی is a shared cultural reference point for Iranian men, shaping friendships, memories, and a body of humor and folk sayings. Deferments are available for students and certain professionals, and exemptions exist for sole breadwinners or those with health conditions. The word سرباز therefore carries everyday social weight beyond its military meaning.