Ways to say it
| Persian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| هَدِیِه | hadiye | |
| پیشْکِش | piškeš | |
| کادو | kâdo | [kʰɒː.d̪ó] (Iran, formal, narrow) |
| تُحْفِه | tohfe | |
| بَخْشِش | baxšeš |
In Persian, the word you choose for 'gift' depends on whether you are referring to a physical present, a precious souvenir, an act of generosity or a gift presented to someone of higher status.
Which one should you use?
کادو is the most common, everyday term for a gift, such as a birthday or holiday present. هَدِیِه is more formal and is often used in official, literary or polite contexts. پیشْکِش is used when a gift is being presented or offered to someone of higher status or in a very formal ceremony. تُحْفِه specifically refers to a gift that is an object of art, a keepsake or a precious souvenir. بَخْشِش is used when the 'gift' refers to an act of generosity, a grant or a formal bestowal rather than a physical object.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say 'to give a gift' in a casual setting, you use the verb phrase کادو دادن.
How do you pronounce it?
hadiye
Did you know?
- In Persian culture, the act of giving a هَدِیِه is often accompanied by Ta'arof, a complex system of ritual politeness where the recipient may initially refuse the gift several times before accepting it.
- The common word کادو is borrowed from the French word 'cadeau'.
- If you call a person a تُحْفِه, you are not saying they are a 'gift' in a kind way, but rather implying they are a 'curiosity' or a 'rarity' that is quite strange.
Examples in context
- من یک هدیه به شما تقدیم میکنم.I am presenting a gift to you.
- این یک هَدِیِه کوچک برای شماست.in yek hadiye-ye koochak baraye shomast.This is a small gift for you.
- او برای تولد من هَدِیِه زیبایی فرستاد.oo baraye tavallod-e man hadiye-ye zibayi ferestad.She sent a beautiful gift for my birthday.
- هَدِیِه شما را با کمال میل میپذیرم.hadiye-ye shoma ra ba kamal-e meyl mipaziramm.I accept your gift with great pleasure.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “gift” translations and entries کادو, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries کادو, CC BY-SA 4.0.
