Meaning
To grapple with a difficult problem or challenge, often physically or mentally.
Cultural Background
Wrestling is the national sport. Great wrestlers like Gholamreza Takhti are national heroes, and their 'struggle' is seen as a moral example. The 'House of Strength' is where this idiom was born. It emphasizes the 'softening' of the ego as much as the opponent's grip. Journalists use this phrase daily to describe the impact of international sanctions on the lives of ordinary citizens. Sufi poets often used wrestling metaphors to describe the soul's struggle against earthly desires (the 'Nafs').
Use with 'Ba'
Always remember to use the preposition 'ba' (with) before the problem you are wrestling with.
Don't overdo it
If you use this for small things like 'wrestling with a sandwich,' people will think you are being very sarcastic.
Meaning
To grapple with a difficult problem or challenge, often physically or mentally.
Use with 'Ba'
Always remember to use the preposition 'ba' (with) before the problem you are wrestling with.
Don't overdo it
If you use this for small things like 'wrestling with a sandwich,' people will think you are being very sarcastic.
News Listening
Listen for this phrase on BBC Persian or VOA Farsi; it appears almost every day in economic reports.
Show Empathy
Using this phrase to describe someone else's struggle shows you recognize their hard work and strength.
Test Yourself
Fill in the missing verb to complete the idiom.
او سالها با بیماری دست و پنجه ______ میکند.
The light verb for this idiom is 'kardan' (to do/make).
Which situation is best described by this idiom?
کدام موقعیت برای این اصطلاح مناسب است؟
The idiom is used for difficult challenges, like a hard math problem.
Match the problem with the person wrestling with it.
وصل کنید:
All these pairs represent common uses of the idiom.
Complete the dialogue.
علی: چرا خستهای؟ سارا: تمام شب با این کد کامپیوتری ______.
Sara is explaining her struggle with a difficult coding task.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercisesاو سالها با بیماری دست و پنجه ______ میکند.
The light verb for this idiom is 'kardan' (to do/make).
کدام موقعیت برای این اصطلاح مناسب است؟
The idiom is used for difficult challenges, like a hard math problem.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
All these pairs represent common uses of the idiom.
علی: چرا خستهای؟ سارا: تمام شب با این کد کامپیوتری ______.
Sara is explaining her struggle with a difficult coding task.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
4 questionsYes, usually. You wrestle with problems, illnesses, or challenges, not with happy things like 'wrestling with a vacation.'
Yes, you can 'dast o panje narm kardan' with a difficult person or a rival, but it's more common for abstract problems.
It's a bit advanced, but because it's so common in the news and daily life, it's great to recognize it early on.
This implies a long, exhausting struggle of grips, whereas 'jangidan' (fighting) can be a single event.
Related Phrases
کلنجار رفتن
similarTo tussle or fiddle with something
سر و کله زدن
similarTo argue or deal with someone/something
درگیر بودن
synonymTo be involved/entangled
شاخ به شاخ شدن
contrastTo go head-to-head
