بِرِنْج
birinj
In Persian, rice is referred to as بِرِنْج (birinj). Wiktionary also lists چَلَوْ (čalaw) and پِلَوْ (pilaw).
Meaning: seeds used as food (noun)
Ways to say it
| Persian | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| بِرِنْج | birinj |
| چَلَوْ | čalaw |
| پِلَوْ | pilaw |
| پَلَوْ | palaw |
| چِلُوْ | čelow |
| پُلُو | polow |
The term بِرِنْج is used to refer to the raw grain or the rice substance itself. You should use this word when you are discussing the ingredient in a recipe or when you are talking about buying rice at a grocery store.
Which one should you use?
There is a distinction between the raw ingredient and the prepared food. بِرِنْج refers to the raw grain, while other forms like پُلُو refer to cooked rice dishes, often prepared in a pilaf style.
How do you pronounce it?
birinj
Did you know?
- The word بِرِنْج is a cognate of the English word 'brinjal', which is used in Indian English to mean eggplant, though they refer to entirely different plants.
- In Iran, the most prized part of a پُلُو dish is the تَهْ‌دِیګ, a golden, crunchy crust that forms at the bottom of the pot. It is often served as a separate side dish and is highly contested among guests.
- If you are at a banquet and want to compliment the rice, you might praise its 'texture' or 'fluffiness', as Persian rice culture places much higher importance on the grain's separation than in many Western cultures.
Examples in context
- او در رستوران برنج و مرغ سفارش دادHe ordered rice and chicken at the restaurant.
- بِرِنْج خیلی گران شده است.berinj kheyli gerān shode ast.Rice has become very expensive.
- من برای شام بِرِنْج می‌پزم.man barāye shām berinj mipazam.I am cooking rice for dinner.
- آیا برای خرید بِرِنْج می‌روی؟āyā barāye kharide berinj miravi?Are you going to buy rice?
Example conversation
Amir and Niloufar are planning dinner in the kitchen.
- امیر Amirنیلوفر، برای شام چه بپزم؟Niloufar, barâye shâm che bepazam?Niloufar, what should I cook for dinner?
- نیلوفر Niloufarمی‌توانی بِرِنْج و مرغ درست کنی.Mito-vâni berenj o morgh dorost koni.You can make rice and chicken.
- امیر Amirباشه، بِرِنْج کجا است؟Bâshe, berenj kojâ ast?Okay, where is the rice?
- نیلوفر Niloufarدر کابینت بالاست، امیر.Dar kâbinet-e bâlâst, Amir.It is in the upper cabinet, Amir.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rice” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
