مرغ
morġ/ˈmurɣ/feminine
The Persian word for chicken is مرغ (morġ). Wiktionary also lists مرغ خانگی (morġ-e xânegi) and جوجه (juje).
Meaning: bird (noun)
Ways to say it
| Persian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| مرغ | morġ | /ˈmurɣ/ (Classical Persian) | feminine |
| مرغ خانگی | morġ-e xânegi | /ˈmurɣ xaː.na.ˈɡiː/ (Classical Persian, word by word) | |
| جوجه | juje | /d͡ʒuː.ˈd͡ʒa/ (Classical Persian) |
The term refers to the bird. The root مرغ is also used in the names of various waterfowl, such as مرغابی, which refers to a duck or a goose.
Which one should you use?
While مرغ refers to the adult bird, the word جوجه is commonly used in colloquial speech to refer to a chicken or a chick. The term مرغ خانگی can be used to specify a domestic chicken.
Is it said differently in some regions?
جوجه is a dialectal or regional form used to mean chicken or chick.
How does it change in a sentence?
مرغ is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈmurɣ/
Did you know?
- While مرغ is the standard word for chicken, جوجه is often used in food contexts to describe chicken pieces or skewers, such as in 'Joojeh Kabab'.
- The term جوجه can be used colloquially as a term of endearment or to describe someone small and cute, similar to 'little one' in English.
- The word جوجه might actually be a linguistic 'cousin' to the Turkish word civciv, as both may have originated from sounds meant to imitate a chick's chirping.
Examples in context
- گوشت کبک از گوشت مرغ بهتر است.Partridge meat is better than chicken meat.This sentence compares the meat of a partridge to the meat of a مرغ.Tatoeba #8379937 by cojiluc, translation #7336560 by MessDjaaf
- او مرغ را آن طور که من دوستت دارم می پزد.She cooks chicken the way I like.This sentence describes how someone cooks مرغ.Tatoeba #667739 by mahdiye, translation #314328 by CK
- وقتی که من به اداره رسیدم کلی کار داشتم که انتظار من را می کشید.من همانند مرغی که سرش را بریدند به این طرف آن طرف می دویدم.When I got to the office, I had tons of work waiting for me. I was running around like a chicken with its head cut off.This sentence uses the idiom of a مرغ running around to describe acting frantically.Tatoeba #544462 by mahdiye, translation #266812 by CM
- لطفاً یک بشقاب "مرغ" برای من بیاورید.Please bring me a plate of chicken.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Amir and Sara are looking at birds in a garden.
- امیر Amirسارا، آن مرغ سفید را ببین.Sara, aan morgh-e sefid ra bebin.Sara, look at that white chicken.
- سارا Saraچه مرغ زیبایی است!Che morgh-e zibaayi ast!What a beautiful chicken it is!
- امیر Amirفکر کنم این مرغ گرسنه است.Fekr konam in morgh gorosne ast.I think this chicken is hungry.
- سارا Saraبیا برای مرغ کمی غذا بریزیم.Bia baraye morgh kami ghaza berizim.Let's pour some food for the chicken.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “chicken” translations and entries مرغ, جوجه, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (مرغ, خانگی) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries جوجه, خانگی, مرغ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
