What it means
شطرنج (shatranj) is the Persian word for chess, the two-player strategy board game. The word came into Persian via Arabic شطرنج (shatranj), which was itself borrowed from Sanskrit chaturanga, meaning four divisions of an army: infantry, cavalry, elephants, and chariots. These four divisions correspond to the four piece types in the ancient Indian game. Chess spread from India to Persia in the sixth century CE and then from Persia into the Arab world and later Europe, making the Persian court a key link in the game’s global history. A related word is شطرنجی (shatranjI), used as an adjective meaning checkered, as in a checkered pattern.
How to use it
- شطرنج بلدی؟ (shatranj baladi?) “Do you know how to play chess?”
- دیشب تا نصف شب شطرنج بازی کردیم. (dishab tâ nesf-e shab shatranj bâzi kardim.) “Last night we played chess until midnight.”
- شطرنج بازی خوبیه برای تمرین تفکر. (shatranj bâziye khubiye barâye tamrin-e tafakkor.) “Chess is a good game for practicing thinking.”
- مات شدی! (mât shodi!) “You’re checkmated!”
Cultural note
The word “checkmate” in English comes from the Persian phrase شاه مات (shâh mât), meaning the king is defeated. This is direct evidence of how central Persia was in transmitting chess to the Western world. Medieval Persian literature, including works by poets like Ferdowsi and Nezami, contains references to chess as a game of kings and strategists. Today chess remains popular in Iran, and the country has produced internationally ranked players.