گوشت گاو
gušt-e gâv
The Persian word for beef is گوشت گاو (gušt-e gâv).
This phrase is used to refer specifically to the meat of a cow or ox.
Meaning: meat (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a compound consisting of گوشت (meat) and گاو (cow/ox).
Which one should you use?
While گوشت گاو refers specifically to beef, the phrase گوشت گوسفند is used to specify lamb or mutton.
How do you pronounce it?
gušt-e gâv
Did you know?
- The Persian word for cow, گاو, is a direct linguistic relative of the English word 'cow'. Both words trace back to the same Proto-Indo-European root, *gʷṓws.
- In many traditional Iranian recipes, if a cook asks for گوشت, they are more likely to be referring to lamb rather than the beef implied by گوشت گاو.
- The word گوشت is used for both the 'meat' you eat and the biological 'flesh' of a living creature.
Examples in context
- من گوشت گاو دوست ندارم.man gooshte gav doost nadaram.I do not like beef.
- آیا در این غذا گوشت گاو هست؟aya dar in ghaza gooshte gav hast?Is there beef in this food?
Example conversation
Reza and Zahra are planning dinner at home.
- رضا Rezaزهرا، برای شام چه بخریم؟Zahra, baraye shaam che bekharim?Zahra, what should we buy for dinner?
- زهرا Zahraبه نظرم گوشت گاو بخریم.Be nazaram goosht-e gaav bekharim.I think we should buy beef.
- رضا Rezaبسیار خب، من میخرم.Besyaar khob, man mikharam.Alright, I will buy it.
- زهرا Zahraممنونم رضا.Mamnoonam Reza.Thank you, Reza.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “beef” translations and entries گوشت گاو, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries گاو, گوشت, CC BY-SA 4.0.
