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B1 adjective 11 min read

خالی از سکنه

khali az sakene
Examples خالی از سکنه in 30 Seconds
Explanation خالی از سکنه in your Level:
At the A1 level, you don't need to use 'khāli az sakane' often, but it's good to recognize it. Think of it as a very fancy way to say 'no people.' In A1, you learn 'khāli' (empty). For example, 'The glass is empty' (Livan khāli ast). 'Khāli az sakane' is like that, but only for big places like houses or islands. If you see a house with no one inside, you can say 'In khāne khāli ast.' If you want to sound like a smart student, you can try saying 'In khāne khāli az sakane ast.' It just means 'Nobody lives here.' Focus on the word 'khāli' first, then add 'az sakane' when you talk about buildings. It is a long phrase, so practice saying it slowly: khā-li (empty) + az (from) + sa-ka-ne (residents).
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At the A2 level, you are starting to describe your environment more. You might talk about your neighborhood or a trip you took. If you visited an old village where no one lives anymore, 'khāli az sakane' is a great phrase to use. It's better than just saying 'empty' because it explains *what* is empty—the people! You can use it with 'shodan' (to become). For example: 'The village became empty' (Roostā khāli az sakane shod). This helps you describe changes over time. You might also see this word in simple news headlines or on signs near old buildings. Remember, it's a compound adjective, so it stays together as one piece of information. Don't worry about the plural 'sakane'; it always looks like that in this phrase.
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As a B1 learner, you should be able to use 'khāli az sakane' confidently in formal writing and speech. This is the level where you move beyond basic descriptions to more nuanced ones. Use this phrase when discussing social issues like rural depopulation or when describing a setting in a story. It shows you have a grasp of formal Persian vocabulary. You should also understand the difference between this and 'khalvat' (quiet). If you are writing an essay about the environment, you might describe a 'jazire-ye khāli az sakane' (an uninhabited island) as a place for rare animals. At this level, you should also be comfortable using it with the ezafe construction (e.g., 'manāteq-e khāli az sakane').
At the B2 level, you should recognize 'khāli az sakane' as a standard term in journalism and academic texts. You should be able to use it in complex sentences, such as 'Despite the beautiful scenery, the region remains uninhabited due to lack of water.' This involves combining the phrase with conjunctions and subordinate clauses. You should also start to notice how it's used in legal or official contexts, such as government reports on housing. You might also compare it with synonyms like 'matrooke' (abandoned) or 'gheyr-e maskooni' (non-residential) to show a higher level of precision. B2 learners should also be able to identify the Arabic root of 'sakane' and how it relates to other words like 'maskan' (housing).
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At the C1 level, you use 'khāli az sakane' with precision and stylistic flair. You understand its weight in literary and historical contexts. For instance, when analyzing a text about the Silk Road, you would use this phrase to describe the decline of ancient cities. You also understand the subtle connotations—how 'khāli az sakane' can sound more clinical or official than the more evocative 'matrooke'. You can use it in high-level discussions about demographics, urban planning, or even philosophy (e.g., a world without humans). At this stage, your pronunciation should be perfect, and you should be able to use the phrase in rapid, natural speech without hesitation, treating it as a single lexical unit.
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At the C2 level, 'khāli az sakane' is a natural part of your high-level lexicon. You can use it metaphorically in sophisticated ways, perhaps in poetry or advanced rhetoric, to describe a void of human essence or culture. You are fully aware of its historical usage and can distinguish it from archaic variants like 'fāregh az sakane'. You can handle complex grammatical structures where this phrase acts as part of a larger, multi-clause argument about population shifts, historical catastrophes, or futuristic scenarios. You also understand the legal implications of the term in Iranian law, such as its role in property disputes or taxation, and can discuss these topics with native-like fluency and technical accuracy.
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Examples

خالی از سکنه in 30 Seconds

  • Formal term for 'uninhabited' or 'deserted' regarding people.
  • Used for buildings, islands, cities, and geographical regions.
  • Combines 'khāli' (empty) and 'sakane' (inhabitants/residents).
  • Essential for news, history, and formal Persian writing.

The Persian phrase خالی از سکنه (pronounced 'khāli az sakane') is a formal and descriptive adjective used to describe places where no human beings currently live. Literally translated, it means 'empty of inhabitants.' The word khāli means 'empty,' while sakane is the plural form of the Arabic-rooted word sākin, which refers to a resident or inhabitant. This expression is a staple in Persian journalism, historical writing, and formal documentation to describe ghost towns, abandoned buildings, or remote islands.

Core Concept
The term implies a state where a place that could potentially house people, or once did, is now devoid of them. It is more formal than simply saying 'khāli' (empty).

این روستا سال‌هاست که خالی از سکنه شده است. (This village has been uninhabited for years.)

In Persian culture, the concept of a place being 'khāli az sakane' often carries a weight of nostalgia or desolation. It is frequently used when discussing the migration of villagers to big cities, leaving behind ancestral homes that eventually crumble and become 'uninhabited.' It is also the standard term used in news reports regarding disaster zones or areas cleared for military or environmental reasons. Unlike the English word 'vacant,' which might apply to a single seat or a job position, this Persian phrase is strictly geographical and residential.

Usage in Real Estate
In legal and real estate documents, 'khāli az sakane' is used to confirm that a property is being sold without any sitting tenants or occupants, ensuring the buyer can take immediate possession.

جزایر شمالی به دلیل شرایط آب و هوایی خالی از سکنه هستند. (The northern islands are uninhabited due to weather conditions.)

Furthermore, the phrase is often used in the context of archaeology. When archaeologists discover an ancient site, they might describe it as having become 'khāli az sakane' at a specific point in history due to war, famine, or natural disasters like earthquakes. The linguistic structure 'khāli az...' (empty of...) is a productive pattern in Persian, but 'sakane' is its most common partner when referring to human presence.

ساختمان قدیمی شهر اکنون کاملاً خالی از سکنه است. (The old city building is now completely uninhabited.)

Literary Nuance
In poetry, this phrase might be used metaphorically to describe a heart or a life that feels empty of people or love, though its primary use remains literal and physical.

To master this word, one must understand that it functions as a compound adjective. It does not change for gender or number in Persian (as Persian lacks grammatical gender). It follows the noun it describes, usually connected by the 'ezafe' (the short -e sound), although in many cases, it acts as a predicate after the verb 'to be' (ast/hastand). Understanding the rhythm of this phrase—four syllables: khā-li az sa-ka-ne—will help you sound more natural when speaking about geography, urban decay, or history.

آیا این منطقه مرزی خالی از سکنه است؟ (Is this border region uninhabited?)

بسیاری از روستاهای کویری اکنون خالی از سکنه شده‌اند. (Many desert villages have now become uninhabited.)

Using خالی از سکنه correctly involves understanding its role as a compound adjective. It is most commonly used as a predicative adjective (after a verb like 'to be') or as an attributive adjective (following a noun). Because it is a formal term, you will see it paired with formal verbs like shodan (to become) or boodan (to be). It is rarely used in very informal slang, where simpler words like 'khāli' or 'bi-kas' might be preferred.

Sentence Structure 1: Predicative
[Subject] + [خالی از سکنه] + [Verb]. For example: 'In khāne khāli az sakane ast' (This house is uninhabited).

پس از زلزله، کل شهر خالی از سکنه شد. (After the earthquake, the entire city became uninhabited.)

When you want to describe a noun directly, you use the ezafe. For example, 'shahr-e khāli az sakane' (the uninhabited city). This is common in descriptive writing. Notice how the phrase remains intact; you don't break up 'khāli' and 'az sakane'. They function as a single unit of meaning. If you are discussing statistics or demographics, you might see it in phrases like 'manāteq-e khāli az sakane' (uninhabited regions).

Sentence Structure 2: Attributive
[Noun] + -e + [خالی از سکنه]. For example: 'Jazire-ye khāli az sakane' (The uninhabited island).

آنها در یک قلعه‌ی خالی از سکنه پناه گرفتند. (They took refuge in an uninhabited castle.)

One interesting way to use this phrase is in the negative or to describe the process of becoming uninhabited. The verb 'khāli shodan' (to become empty) is often paired with 'az sakane' to describe the phenomenon of rural flight. In political discourse, you might hear about 'manāteq-e marzi' (border areas) being 'khāli az sakane' as a security concern. In these contexts, the phrase is not just a description but a status indicator.

دولت تلاش می‌کند تا از خالی از سکنه شدن روستاها جلوگیری کند. (The government is trying to prevent villages from becoming uninhabited.)

این آپارتمان به دلیل دعاوی حقوقی خالی از سکنه باقی مانده است. (This apartment has remained uninhabited due to legal disputes.)

Finally, consider the emotional tone. While 'uninhabited' in English can sound technical, in Persian literature, describing a house as 'khāli az sakane' often evokes a sense of loss. It is the silence where there used to be voices. When writing, use this phrase to add a layer of formality and gravity to your description of space and population. Whether you are writing a travel blog about the ghost towns of Yazd or a report on urban planning, this is the precise term you need.

سیاره‌های دیگر منظومه شمسی خالی از سکنه هستند. (Other planets in the solar system are uninhabited.)

You will encounter خالی از سکنه in several specific environments. First and foremost is the News and Media. Whenever there is a report about a natural disaster—like the earthquakes in Bam or Kermanshah—news anchors will use this phrase to describe villages that have been evacuated or destroyed. It provides a quick, professional summary of the human situation on the ground. You'll also hear it in documentaries about wildlife or remote geography, such as the Lut Desert or uninhabited islands in the Persian Gulf like 'Shidvar'.

Environment 1: News Reports
Broadcasters use it to describe the status of disaster-hit areas or regions affected by drought.

گزارش‌ها حاکی از آن است که دهکده کاملاً خالی از سکنه شده است. (Reports indicate that the village has become completely uninhabited.)

Another common place is Legal and Administrative Contexts. If you are dealing with property law in Iran, or reading about urban planning, this term is essential. It appears in tax laws (e.g., taxes on 'empty houses' or 'khānehā-ye khāli'), though 'khāli az sakane' is the more formal way to describe the state of the property. It is also used in military contexts to describe 'No Man's Land' or buffer zones between borders that are strictly off-limits for civilian living.

این منطقه به عنوان منطقه‌ی ممنوعه و خالی از سکنه اعلام شد. (This area was declared a restricted and uninhabited zone.)

In Literature and History, authors use this phrase to paint a picture of abandonment. When describing the aftermath of the Mongol invasions or the decline of the Silk Road cities, historians use 'khāli az sakane' to emphasize the total disappearance of the population. It creates a stark, haunting image of once-thriving centers now silent. In modern literature, it might be used to describe the psychological state of a character feeling isolated, though this is more metaphorical.

Environment 2: Academic History
Used to describe the depopulation of cities due to plague, war, or environmental shifts.

تاریخ‌نگاران معتقدند این شهر در قرن دهم خالی از سکنه شد. (Historians believe this city became uninhabited in the 10th century.)

Finally, you will hear it in Tourism and Travel Guides. When exploring Iran's vast deserts or mountain ranges, guides might point out 'caravanserais' (ancient roadside inns) that are now 'khāli az sakane'. This helps tourists understand the historical context—that these places were once full of life and trade but are now preserved as empty monuments of the past. It's a word that bridges the gap between the busy present and the silent past.

بسیاری از این کاروانسراها اکنون خالی از سکنه هستند. (Many of these caravanserais are now uninhabited.)

جزیره‌ی هرمز بخش‌های وسیعی دارد که کاملاً خالی از سکنه است. (Hormuz Island has vast sections that are completely uninhabited.)

One of the most frequent mistakes learners make is using خالی از سکنه in contexts where a simpler word for 'empty' is required. Remember, 'sakane' specifically means human inhabitants. You cannot say a glass is 'khāli az sakane' because a glass doesn't have residents—it just has contents. For objects, use 'khāli' (empty) or 'pook' (hollow). This phrase is strictly for buildings, lands, cities, or planets.

Mistake 1: Over-application
Using the phrase for non-residential items. Incorrect: 'The box is khāli az sakane.' Correct: 'The box is khāli.'

اشتباه: این لیوان خالی از سکنه است. (Wrong: This glass is uninhabited.)

Another mistake is confusing it with 'khalvat' (quiet/not crowded). If a park has only two people in it, it is 'khalvat'. If it has zero people and is abandoned, it might be 'khāli az sakane'. Using 'khāli az sakane' for a place that just has few people sounds very dramatic and incorrect. It implies a total absence of living residents. Also, be careful with the word 'sakane'. Some learners try to say 'khāli az mardom' (empty of people). While understandable, it's not the standard idiomatic phrase used in formal Persian.

Mistake 2: Confusing with 'Abandoned'
While often used together, 'matrooke' (abandoned) implies it was left behind, whereas 'khāli az sakane' just describes the current state of no people.

درست: خانه‌ی خالی از سکنه لزوماً متروکه نیست. (Correct: An uninhabited house isn't necessarily abandoned—it might just be for sale.)

Grammatically, some learners forget the 'az' (from/of). They might say 'khāli sakane,' which is incorrect. The 'az' is essential as it links the state of being empty to the specific thing that is missing (the inhabitants). Finally, watch out for the pronunciation of 'sakane'. It is 'sa-ka-ne' (short vowels), not 'sā-ka-ne'. Mispronouncing the first syllable can make it sound like 'sāken' (resident), which changes the grammar of the phrase.

اشتباه: شهر خالی سکنه است. (Wrong: The city is empty inhabitants.)

درست: شهر خالی از سکنه است. (Correct: The city is empty of inhabitants.)

If you want to vary your vocabulary, Persian offers several alternatives to خالی از سکنه, depending on the nuance you want to convey. The most direct synonym is غیرمسکونی (gheyr-e maskooni), which means 'non-residential.' While 'khāli az sakane' describes a place that *could* have people but doesn't, 'gheyr-e maskooni' often refers to the legal or zoning status of a building, such as an office or a factory.

Comparison: Uninhabited vs. Non-residential
'Khāli az sakane' is a state of being; 'Gheyr-e maskooni' is a category of use.

این ساختمان غیرمسکونی است و کسی در آن نمی‌خوابد. (This building is non-residential and no one sleeps in it.)

Another word is متروکه (matrooke), meaning 'abandoned' or 'derelict.' This word carries a stronger sense of decay and being left behind. You would use 'matrooke' for an old, crumbling house in a village, whereas 'khāli az sakane' might be used for a brand-new apartment building that hasn't been occupied yet. Then there is خلوت (khalvat), which means 'empty' or 'quiet' in a temporary sense, like a street at 3 AM.

Comparison: Uninhabited vs. Abandoned
'Khāli az sakane' is neutral. 'Matrooke' implies the place is falling apart or neglected.

آنها در یک خانه‌ی متروکه زندگی می‌کنند. (They live in an abandoned house—implies it's in bad condition.)

For a more poetic or literary touch, you might see بی‌کس (bi-kas) or سوت و کور (soot-o-koor). 'Bi-kas' literally means 'without anyone' and is often used for people (lonely) or homes (deserted). 'Soot-o-koor' is an idiomatic expression describing a place that is dead-quiet and dark, often because no one is there. Finally, فارغ از سکنه (fāregh az sakane) is an extremely formal variant, almost exclusively found in high-level literature or old legal texts.

خیابان در شب بسیار سوت و کور بود. (The street was very desolate and quiet at night.)

این دشت پهناور کاملاً بی‌کس و تنهاست. (This vast plain is completely lonely and deserted.)

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Examples by Level

1

این خانه خالی از سکنه است.

This house is uninhabited.

Simple subject + predicate structure.

2

روستا خالی از سکنه بود.

The village was uninhabited.

Past tense of 'to be' (bood).

3

آیا آنجا خالی از سکنه است؟

Is that place uninhabited?

Question form using 'āyā'.

4

این اتاق خالی از سکنه نیست.

This room is not uninhabited.

Negative form using 'nist'.

5

جزیره خالی از سکنه است.

The island is uninhabited.

Common geographical use.

6

آن خانه‌ی قدیمی خالی از سکنه است.

That old house is uninhabited.

Using an adjective (ghadimi) with the subject.

7

بسیاری از جاها خالی از سکنه هستند.

Many places are uninhabited.

Plural subject and verb (hastand).

8

این مکان خالی از سکنه شد.

This place became uninhabited.

Using the verb 'shodan' (to become).

1

آنها در یک منطقه‌ی خالی از سکنه زندگی نمی‌کنند.

They do not live in an uninhabited area.

Using the phrase as an attributive adjective with ezafe.

2

چرا این شهر خالی از سکنه شده است؟

Why has this city become uninhabited?

Present perfect tense (shodeh ast).

3

این ساختمان برای سال‌ها خالی از سکنه بود.

This building was uninhabited for years.

Using 'barā-ye' to indicate duration.

4

ما به یک جزیره‌ی خالی از سکنه رفتیم.

We went to an uninhabited island.

Simple past tense (raftim).

5

هیچ‌کس در این روستای خالی از سکنه نیست.

No one is in this uninhabited village.

Using 'hich-kas' (no one) for emphasis.

6

دولت می‌گوید این منطقه خالی از سکنه است.

The government says this area is uninhabited.

Reporting speech with 'miguyad'.

7

یک خانه‌ی خالی از سکنه در انتهای خیابان است.

There is an uninhabited house at the end of the street.

Indefinite noun 'khāne-i'.

8

این کوهستان سرد و خالی از سکنه است.

This mountain range is cold and uninhabited.

Joining two adjectives with 'va' (and).

1

به دلیل خشکسالی، بسیاری از روستاها خالی از سکنه شده‌اند.

Due to drought, many villages have become uninhabited.

Using 'be dalil-e' to show cause.

2

این آپارتمان‌ها به مدت ده سال خالی از سکنه باقی مانده‌اند.

These apartments have remained uninhabited for ten years.

Using 'bāghi māndan' (to remain).

3

او ترجیح می‌دهد در مناطق خالی از سکنه سفر کند.

He prefers to travel in uninhabited areas.

Using the infinitive 'safar kardan'.

4

آیا این ساختمان‌های قدیمی خالی از سکنه امن هستند؟

Are these uninhabited old buildings safe?

Compound adjective phrase.

5

گروهی از محققان به قطب جنوب که خالی از سکنه است رفتند.

A group of researchers went to Antarctica, which is uninhabited.

Relative clause style.

6

او داستانی درباره‌ی یک شهر خالی از سکنه نوشت.

He wrote a story about an uninhabited city.

Preposition 'darbāre-ye' (about).

7

این قلعه‌ی تاریخی اکنون کاملاً خالی از سکنه است.

This historical castle is now completely uninhabited.

Using the adverb 'kāmelan' (completely).

8

ممکن است این سیاره در آینده خالی از سکنه شود.

This planet might become uninhabited in the future.

Modal verb 'momken ast' (it is possible).

1

پدیده مهاجرت باعث شده است که بسیاری از نواحی مرزی خالی از سکنه شوند.

The phenomenon of migration has caused many border areas to become uninhabited.

Using 'bā-es shodan' with a subjunctive clause.

2

با وجود پتانسیل گردشگری، این منطقه همچنان خالی از سکنه باقی مانده است.

Despite tourism potential, this region has remained uninhabited.

Using 'bā voojood-e' (despite).

3

مالک ساختمان موظف است خانه‌های خالی از سکنه خود را گزارش دهد.

The building owner is obliged to report their uninhabited houses.

Formal administrative language.

4

برخی از جزایر خلیج فارس به دلایل زیست‌محیطی خالی از سکنه هستند.

Some islands in the Persian Gulf are uninhabited for environmental reasons.

Using 'be dalāyel-e' (for reasons of).

5

این شهر پس از انفجار هسته‌ای به مکانی خالی از سکنه تبدیل شد.

After the nuclear explosion, this city turned into an uninhabited place.

Using 'tabdil shodan' (to turn into).

6

در اسناد تاریخی آمده است که این قلعه هرگز خالی از سکنه نبوده است.

In historical documents, it is stated that this castle was never uninhabited.

Negative past perfect/continuous sense.

7

آنها به دنبال پناهگاهی در یک روستای خالی از سکنه می‌گشتند.

They were looking for a shelter in an uninhabited village.

Past continuous 'migashtand'.

8

تخریب محیط زیست می‌تواند منجر به خالی از سکنه شدن زمین شود.

Environmental destruction can lead to the Earth becoming uninhabited.

Using 'monjar be' (lead to) with a gerund-like noun.

1

روند خالی از سکنه شدن روستاها پیامد‌های ناگواری برای امنیت غذایی دارد.

The trend of villages becoming uninhabited has dire consequences for food security.

Using 'ravand-e' (the process/trend of).

2

این عمارت باشکوه، با وجود تمام زیبایی‌اش، دهه‌هاست که خالی از سکنه مانده است.

This magnificent mansion, despite all its beauty, has remained uninhabited for decades.

Complex sentence with parenthetical phrase.

3

تحلیل‌گران هشدار می‌دهند که این کلان‌شهر ممکن است در اثر بحران آب خالی از سکنه شود.

Analysts warn that this metropolis might become uninhabited due to the water crisis.

Using 'hoshdār dādan' (to warn).

4

در متون کهن، این سرزمین به عنوان منطقه‌ای برهوت و خالی از سکنه توصیف شده است.

In ancient texts, this land is described as a barren and uninhabited region.

Passive construction 'towsif shodeh ast'.

5

باستان‌شناسان در تلاشند بفهمند چرا این تمدن ناگهان شهر را خالی از سکنه رها کرد.

Archaeologists are trying to understand why this civilization suddenly left the city uninhabited.

Complex objective clause.

6

سیاست‌های غلط اقتصادی باعث خالی از سکنه شدن بسیاری از مراکز صنعتی شده است.

Wrong economic policies have caused many industrial centers to become uninhabited.

Abstract subject 'siyāsat-hā-ye ghalat'.

7

سکوت مرگبار در این کوچه‌های خالی از سکنه، هر شنونده‌ای را به وحشت می‌اندازد.

The deadly silence in these uninhabited alleys terrifies every listener.

Poetic/Literary vocabulary 'sokoot-e margbār'.

8

ما باید تدبیری بیندیشیم تا از خالی از سکنه شدن مناطق محروم جلوگیری کنیم.

We must devise a plan to prevent underprivileged areas from becoming uninhabited.

Formal 'tadbir andishidan' (to devise a plan).

1

چشم‌انداز آینده‌ی بشر، در صورت عدم مهار تغییرات اقلیمی، زمینی خالی از سکنه خواهد بود.

The outlook for humanity's future, if climate change is not curbed, will be an uninhabited Earth.

Hypothetical future construction.

2

این خلأ جمعیتی و خالی از سکنه ماندن اراضی، چالش‌های ژئوپلیتیک جدیدی را پدید آورده است.

This demographic vacuum and the lands remaining uninhabited have given rise to new geopolitical challenges.

High-level vocabulary 'khalā-ye jam'iyati'.

3

فلسفه اگزیستانسیالیسم گاه جهان را همچون عمارتی عظیم اما خالی از سکنه و معنا تصویر می‌کند.

Existentialist philosophy sometimes depicts the world as a vast mansion, yet uninhabited and devoid of meaning.

Metaphorical and philosophical usage.

4

هرچند این بناها ظاهراً خالی از سکنه هستند، اما ارواح تاریخ در راهروهایشان پرسه می‌زنند.

Although these buildings are ostensibly uninhabited, the ghosts of history roam their corridors.

Concessive clause 'harchand' (although).

5

دگردیسی ساختاری شهرها منجر به ایجاد بافت‌های فرسوده‌ی خالی از سکنه در قلب پایتخت شده است.

The structural metamorphosis of cities has led to the creation of uninhabited worn-out fabrics in the heart of the capital.

Technical urban planning terminology.

6

در مواجهه با این برهوت خالی از سکنه، انسان با ناچیزیِ وجود خویش روبرو می‌شود.

In the face of this uninhabited wilderness, man is confronted with the insignificance of his own existence.

Existential literary style.

7

قوانین مالیاتی جدید با هدف مقابله با احتکار مسکن و خالی از سکنه ماندن خانه‌ها وضع شده است.

New tax laws have been enacted with the aim of countering housing hoarding and homes remaining uninhabited.

Formal legal passive 'vaz' shodeh ast'.

8

انزوای این منطقه، آن را به فضایی خالی از سکنه و فارغ از هیاهوی تمدن بدل ساخته است.

The isolation of this region has turned it into an uninhabited space, free from the clamor of civilization.

Formal 'badal sākhtan' (to turn into).

Synonyms

غیرمسکونی متروکه
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