ریحان
reyhân/raj.ˈhaːn/
The Persian word for basil is ریحان (reyhân).
ریحان refers to the aromatic herb basil.
Meaning: herb (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced as /raj.ˈhaːn/. It has 2 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- In traditional Persian medicine, ریحان is categorized by its 'warm' or 'cold' properties rather than just its flavor.
- The word ریحان is a direct loanword from Arabic, meaning it shares the exact same spelling and root in both languages.
- If you describe someone as having a 'fragrant' nature in Persian poetry, you might use roots related to ریحان to imply they are delightful or blessed.
Examples in context
- من ریحان تازه خریدم.man reyhān-e tāze kharidam.I bought fresh basil.
- آیا در باغچه ریحان دارید؟āyā dar bāghche reyhān dārid?Do you have basil in the garden?
Example conversation
Ali and Niloufar are cooking dinner together.
- علی Aliنیلوفر، ریحان کجاست؟Niloufar, rehan kojāst?Niloufar, where is the basil?
- نیلوفر Niloufarتوی یخچال است، علی.Touye yakhchāl ast, Ali.It is in the refrigerator, Ali.
- علی Aliممنون، من آن را خرد میکنم.Mamnoon, man ān rā khord mikonam.Thanks, I will chop it.
- نیلوفر Niloufarعالی است، بوی ریحان خیلی خوب است.Āli ast, bouye rehan kheyli khoub ast.Great, the smell of basil is very good.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “basil” translations and entries ریحان, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ریحان, CC BY-SA 4.0.
