What it means
شیر آب (shir-e âb) means water tap or faucet. Both components are native Persian: آب (âb) means “water,” and شیر (shir) in this context means a valve or stopcock rather than the lion the same word also names. The compound is transparent and widely understood at all levels of formality. You will encounter it shortened to simply شیر (shir) in casual conversation when the water context is clear, for example شیر رو ببند (shir ro beband), “turn off the tap.” A related term is شیر گاز (shir-e gâz) for a gas valve, following the same pattern.
How to use it
- شیر آب رو ببند. (Shir-e âb ro beband.) “Turn off the tap.”
- شیر آب چکه میکنه. (Shir-e âb chake mikone.) “The tap is dripping.”
- شیر آب گرم خرابه. (Shir-e âb-e garm kharâbe.) “The hot water tap is broken.”
- لولهکش اومد شیر آب رو عوض کرد. (Lule-kesh umad shir-e âb ro avaz kard.) “The plumber came and replaced the tap.”
Cultural note
Running water became widely available in Iranian cities during the mid-twentieth century, and شیر آب quickly became one of the most ordinary phrases in domestic life. Water conservation is a genuine concern in Iran, where much of the country sits in an arid or semi-arid climate, so expressions like شیر آب رو ببند carry a practical urgency beyond mere household tidiness. In older neighborhoods you may still see communal outdoor taps or courtyard fountains where residents once drew their water before interior plumbing was standard.