شعر
she'r
poetry, poem
nounA1
Quick Reference
SHE'R
poetry, poem
A1 — Absolute Beginner
What it means
شعر (she’r) means “poetry” or “a poem.” Borrowed from Arabic sh-‘-r, it’s the umbrella term for every classical and modern verse form in Persian, from ghazal to free verse.
How to use it
- یک شعر بخوان (yek she’r bekhân) “recite a poem”
- شعر حافظ (she’r-e Hâfez) “Hafez’s poetry”
- شعر دوست دارم (she’r dust dâram) “I love poetry”
Forms it covers
- غزل (ghazal) lyric love poem in matching couplets
- رباعی (robâ’i) four-line quatrain in AABA rhyme
- قصیده (qasideh) long monorhyme ode
- مثنوی (masnavi) long narrative in rhyming couplets
- شعر نو (she’r-e now) modern free verse from Nima Yushij onward
Cultural note
Poetry is the central art form of Iranian culture, and she’r is the everyday word for it. Hafez sits next to the Quran in many homes. People quote Saadi mid-conversation. A taxi driver in Tehran will recite Khayyam at a red light. Saying “I don’t like she’r” reads as cultural illiteracy, not personal taste.
References
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Poetry is the central art form of Iranian culture, and she'r is the everyday word for it. Hafez sits next to the Quran in many homes. People quote Saadi mid-conversation. A taxi driver in Tehran will recite Khayyam at a red light. Saying "I don't like she'r" reads as cultural illiteracy, not personal taste.Connected Words