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Vocabulary
تحریم کردن

B1 verb #8,000 most common 8 min read

تحریم کردن

Q: How do you say 'to lift sanctions'?

The most common way is 'لغو تحریمها' (laghv-e tahrim-ha) or 'برداشتن تحریمها' (bardashtan-e tahrim-ha).

tahrim kardan Top 8,000

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips تحریم کردن in 30 Seconds

Explanation تحریم کردن in your Level:

At the A1 level, you don't need to worry about the complex politics of 'تحریم کردن'. Think of it simply as 'not buying' or 'saying no' to something because you are unhappy. Imagine a child who says, 'I won't buy this toy because it's broken.' While a child wouldn't use this big word, it's the simplest way to understand the action. At this stage, just recognize that it's a 'doing' word (verb) made of two parts: 'tahrim' and 'kardan'. You might see it in very simple news headlines. Just remember: it means 'to stop using or buying something as a rule.'

At the A2 level, you can start using 'تحریم کردن' in basic sentences about shopping or simple rules. You might say, 'I boycott that shop because it is expensive' (من آن مغازه را تحریم می‌کنم). You should also learn the past tense: 'They boycotted' (آن‌ها تحریم کردند). You will start to notice this word on the news. It's important to know that it usually needs the word 'ra' (را) after the thing being boycotted. It is a 'compound verb,' which is a very common structure in Persian where a noun and a verb join together.

At B1, you should be able to use 'تحریم کردن' to discuss current events and social issues. This is the level where you understand it means 'to sanction' in a political sense. You can talk about countries sanctioning each other or people boycotting a company for ethical reasons. You should be comfortable with different tenses, like the future ('They will sanction') or the present perfect ('They have sanctioned'). You should also know the noun 'تحریم' (sanction) and how it's used in phrases like 'economic sanctions' (تحریم‌های اقتصادی). This word is essential for reading any Persian newspaper.

At B2, you should understand the nuance between 'تحریم کردن' and similar verbs like 'ممنوع کردن' (to ban) or 'محروم کردن' (to deprive). you can use it in debates about the effectiveness of sanctions. You might say, 'Do you think sanctioning a country helps its people?' (آیا فکر می‌کنید تحریم کردن یک کشور به مردمش کمک می‌کند؟). You should also be familiar with the passive form 'تحریم شدن' (to be sanctioned) and use it fluently in complex sentences. You can discuss the historical context of the word, like the Tobacco Boycott in Iranian history.

At the C1 level, you should be able to use 'تحریم کردن' in academic or professional discussions about international law and trade. You can use it to describe sophisticated concepts like 'secondary sanctions' (تحریم‌های ثانویه) or 'smart sanctions' (تحریم‌های هوشمند). Your usage should be precise, distinguishing between diplomatic, economic, and cultural boycotts. You can write essays analyzing the socio-economic impact of 'تحریم کردن' on a nation's infrastructure. You should also be able to recognize the word in classical-style formal Persian or legal documents where the language is more dense.

At C2, you have a masterly grasp of 'تحریم کردن'. You can use it in high-level political analysis, perhaps even in a legal or diplomatic career. You understand the deep etymological roots of the word and how it relates to concepts of 'sanctity' and 'prohibition' in Islamic law. You can use the word metaphorically in literature or high-level journalism. You are also aware of the subtle rhetorical ways the word is used in propaganda or political maneuvering. You can effortlessly switch between formal and informal registers when discussing boycotts and sanctions.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

تحریم کردن in 30 Seconds

A formal verb for imposing political or economic sanctions.
Commonly used to describe social boycotts of products or brands.
A compound verb made of 'tahrim' (sanction) and 'kardan' (to do).
Essential for understanding Persian news and political discourse.

The Persian compound verb تحریم کردن (tahrim kardan) is a cornerstone of political, economic, and social discourse in the modern Persian-speaking world. At its most basic level, it translates to 'to sanction' or 'to boycott.' However, its roots dive deep into the concept of making something 'haram' or forbidden. When a government sanctions another nation, they are effectively declaring certain interactions forbidden. In a social context, when a group of people boycotts a product or a company, they are 'tahriming' it. This word is ubiquitous in Iranian news broadcasts, where international relations and economic pressures are frequent topics of discussion. It carries a weight of formality and gravity, often associated with legal decrees or collective social movements. Understanding this word requires looking beyond a simple dictionary definition; it involves understanding the mechanism of isolation—be it economic, diplomatic, or social. Whether it is the UN Security Council imposing measures or a student union refusing to buy a specific brand of soda, the action is described as تحریم کردن. It is a transitive verb, meaning it always acts upon an object—the entity being sanctioned.

Etymological Root: Derived from the Arabic root H-R-M (حرم), which relates to sanctity, prohibition, and the sacred. In Persian, 'کردن' (to do/make) is added to turn the noun 'تحریم' into a functional verb.
Political Context: Used specifically for international economic penalties, trade barriers, and diplomatic freezes. It is the standard term for 'sanctions' in the context of global geopolitics.
Social Context: Used when a community decides to stop using a service or buying a product as a form of protest. This is synonymous with the English 'boycott'.

شورای امنیت تصمیم گرفت صادرات نفت آن کشور را تحریم کند.
The Security Council decided to sanction that country's oil exports.

دانشجویان خرید محصولات آن شرکت را تحریم کردند.
The students boycotted the purchase of that company's products.

Furthermore, the word implies a formal declaration. You don't just 'tahrim' a friend by not talking to them (that would be 'ghahr kardan'); 'tahrim' implies a strategic or principled withdrawal of interaction. In the 19th century, the famous 'Tobacco Protest' in Iran involved a religious fatwa that 'tahrim'ed the use of tobacco to protest a British monopoly. This historical event solidified the word's association with resistance and religious/legal authority. In a modern sense, when you hear this word on the news, it is almost always followed by a discussion of economic consequences, inflation, or diplomatic negotiations. It is a word of power dynamics, where one entity attempts to exert control or influence over another by restricting access to markets, resources, or recognition.

Grammatically, تحریم کردن is a compound verb consisting of the noun 'تحریم' (sanction) and the auxiliary verb 'کردن' (to do). Because it is a transitive verb, it typically requires the direct object marker را (ra) when the object is definite. For example, 'They sanctioned the bank' becomes 'آن‌ها بانک را تحریم کردند.' The structure is quite consistent across tenses, following the standard conjugation patterns of 'کردن'. In the present continuous, you would say 'دارند تحریم می‌کنند' (they are sanctioning), and in the future, 'تحریم خواهند کرد' (they will sanction).

Active Voice Pattern: [Subject] + [Object] + را + [تحریم کردن conjugated]. Example: دولت واردات را تحریم کرد (The government sanctioned imports).
Passive Voice Pattern: [Object] + [تحریم شدن conjugated]. Example: آن کشور تحریم شد (That country was sanctioned).

ما نباید کالاهای بی‌کیفیت را تحریم کنیم، بلکه باید رقابت ایجاد کنیم.
We shouldn't boycott low-quality goods; rather, we should create competition.

In formal writing, you might encounter the word in the context of 'losing' or 'lifting' sanctions, which uses the verb لغو کردن (laghv kardan). So, 'lifting the sanctions' is 'لغو تحریم‌ها'. Conversely, 'imposing sanctions' can be expressed as 'وضع کردن تحریم‌ها' (vaz' kardan-e tahrim-ha), though 'تحریم کردن' as a verb covers the action of imposing them perfectly well. In everyday speech, if someone says 'من فلان مغازه را تحریم کردم,' they mean they have personally decided to never shop there again, usually due to bad service or ethical disagreements. This demonstrates the verb's flexibility from macro-economics to micro-personal decisions.

If you turn on a Persian news channel like IRINN, BBC Persian, or Iran International, you are almost guaranteed to hear 'تحریم کردن' within the first fifteen minutes. It is the 'bread and butter' of political reporting in the Middle East. You will hear news anchors discussing 'تحریم‌های جدید' (new sanctions) or analysts debating 'اثرات تحریم' (the effects of sanctions). Beyond the news, you will find this word in history textbooks, particularly when discussing the Qajar or Pahlavi eras, where foreign concessions and subsequent boycotts played a pivotal role in Iranian sovereignty movements.

اخبار ساعت نه: آمریکا دور جدیدی از شرکت‌های پتروشیمی را تحریم کرد.
9 o'clock news: The US sanctioned a new round of petrochemical companies.

Economic Forums: Economists use it to explain market fluctuations, inflation, and the difficulty of importing medicine or technology.
Social Media: Hashtags often appear calling for the 'tahrim' of certain celebrities, TV shows, or events due to political stances.

In academic settings, especially in International Relations (IR) or Law departments at universities like the University of Tehran, 'تحریم کردن' is analyzed as a tool of statecraft. Professors might lecture on the 'effectiveness of sanctioning' (کارآمدی تحریم کردن). Even in sports, you might hear it if a country refuses to play against another for political reasons—the act of refusing to participate is often framed as 'تحریم کردن مسابقات' (boycotting the matches). It is a word that bridges the gap between the dinner table conversation about the price of eggs and the high-level diplomatic cables sent between world capitals.

One of the most frequent mistakes learners make is confusing تحریم کردن (tahrim kardan) with حرام کردن (haram kardan). While they share the same Arabic root, 'haram kardan' usually means 'to waste' or 'to make something forbidden in a religious/moral sense' (like making a meal 'haram' for someone by being mean). 'Tahrim kardan' is specifically for legal, political, or collective boycotts. Another common error is using the wrong preposition. English speakers often want to say 'tahrim kardan *alayhe*' (sanction against), but in Persian, the entity is usually the direct object: '[Entity] را تحریم کردن'.

Mistake: او غذا را تحریم کرد (when meaning 'he wasted the food').
Correct: او غذا را حرام کرد.

Confusion with 'Mahrum': Don't confuse 'Tahrim' with 'Mahrum kardan' (to deprive). While related, 'Mahrum' is used when you deprive a person of a right (like education), whereas 'Tahrim' is the act of sanctioning an entity.
Direct Object Marker: Forgetting 'ra' (را) after the sanctioned entity is a common B1-level mistake. Always remember: 'Iran *ra* tahrim kardand'.

Lastly, learners sometimes use 'بایکوت کردن' (boycott kardan) which is an imported loanword. While understood, 'تحریم کردن' is much more natural and preferred in almost all contexts, especially formal ones. Using 'بایکوت' can sometimes sound overly informal or like you're struggling to find the Persian equivalent. Stick to 'تحریم کردن' to sound more like a native speaker who understands the nuances of the Persian language's political vocabulary.

While تحریم کردن is the most common term for sanctions, several other words occupy the same semantic space depending on the intensity and context. Understanding these nuances will help you move from a B1 to a B2/C1 level of proficiency. For instance, if you are talking about 'prohibiting' something by law, ممنوع کردن (mamnu' kardan) is the better choice. If you are talking about 'cutting ties,' you would use قطع رابطه کردن (ghat-e rabete kardan).

تحریم کردن vs. ممنوع کردن: 'Tahrim' implies a penalty or a boycott (often external or collective), while 'Mamnu' simply means 'to forbid' or 'to ban' (like banning smoking in a room).
تحریم کردن vs. محروم کردن: 'Tahrim' is a sanction on trade/interaction; 'Mahrum' is to deprive someone of a necessity or a right (e.g., 'depriving a child of play').

دولت ورود خودروهای لوکس را ممنوع کرد (The government banned/prohibited the entry of luxury cars).
جامعه جهانی آن کشور را تحریم کرد (The international community sanctioned that country).

Other alternatives include بایکوت کردن (boycott kardan), which is used mainly in social and activist circles, and قدغن کردن (ghadaghan kardan), which is a slightly more old-fashioned or colloquial way to say 'to forbid.' In a diplomatic context, بایکوت دیپلماتیک (diplomatic boycott) is a common phrase. However, 'تحریم' is unique because it carries the connotation of an organized, often institutionalized, effort to isolate or penalize an entity through economic or trade means.

How Formal Is It?

Fun Fact

The words 'Harem' (private women's quarters) and 'Haram' (forbidden) come from the same root as 'Tahrim'. They all involve the idea of a boundary that cannot be crossed.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /tæhˈriːm kærˈdæn/

US /tæhˈrim kɑːrˈdæn/

On the second syllable of 'Tahrim' and the second syllable of 'Kardan'.

Rhymes With

تعظیم کردن (ta'zim kardan) تقدیم کردن (taqdim kardan) تفهیم کردن (tafhim kardan) ترسیم کردن (tarsim kardan) تنظیم کردن (tanzim kardan) تکریم کردن (takrim kardan) تقسیم کردن (taqsim kardan) تعمیم کردن (ta'mim kardan)

Common Errors

Pronouncing 'Tahrim' as 'Tarim' (forgetting the 'h').
Pronouncing 'Kardan' as 'Korden'.
Mixing up the 'h' sound with 'kh'.
Stress on the first syllable.
Making the 'i' in 'rim' too short.

Difficulty Rating

Reading 3/5

Common in news; easy to recognize once the root is known.

Writing 4/5

Requires correct use of 'ra' and compound verb conjugation.

Speaking 4/5

The 'h' sound and formal context can be tricky for beginners.

Listening 3/5

Very frequent in media; easy to pick out in a sentence.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

کردن ممنوع دولت خرید فروش

Learn Next

لغو کردن اقتصاد سیاست مذاکره توافق

Advanced

ضمانت اجرا تعهدات بین‌المللی حقوق بین‌الملل شورای امنیت وتو کردن

Grammar to Know

Compound Verbs (Kardan)

Verbs like 'tahrim kardan' split in the present tense: 'tahrim mi-konam'.

Direct Object Marker 'ra'

Always use 'ra' after a specific entity: 'Bank ra tahrim kardand'.

Subjunctive Mood

After 'khastan' (to want): 'Mikhaham keshvar ra tahrim konam'.

Passive Voice with 'Shodan'

To say 'was sanctioned': 'Keshvar tahrim shod'.

Noun to Verb Conversion

Adding 'kardan' to Arabic loan nouns is the standard way to create verbs.

Examples by Level

من این شکلات را تحریم می‌کنم.

I boycott this chocolate.

Simple present tense of a compound verb.

آن‌ها آن کتاب را تحریم کردند.

They boycotted that book.

Simple past tense.

ما نباید تحریم کنیم.

We should not boycott.

Negative modal 'nabayad' with the verb.

آیا شما تحریم می‌کنید؟

Do you boycott?

Question form.

او این بازی را تحریم کرد.

He boycotted this game.

Third person singular past.

این مغازه را تحریم کن!

Boycott this shop!

Imperative mood.

آن‌ها نان را تحریم کردند.

They boycotted the bread.

Noun + ra + verb.

من تحریم نمی‌کنم.

I do not boycott.

Negative present tense.

مردم خرید گوشت را تحریم کردند.

The people boycotted buying meat.

Object is a gerund phrase (kharid-e goosht).

دولت آن کشور را تحریم کرد.

The government sanctioned that country.

Political context introduced.

چرا این شرکت را تحریم کردید؟

Why did you boycott this company?

Interrogative 'chera'.

ما می‌خواهیم این محصولات را تحریم کنیم.

We want to boycott these products.

Use of 'mikhahim' (we want).

او همیشه کالاهای خارجی را تحریم می‌کند.

He always boycotts foreign goods.

Adverb 'hamishe' (always).

آن‌ها هیچ‌وقت ما را تحریم نمی‌کنند.

They never sanction us.

Negative 'hich-vaqt' (never).

شما باید این برند را تحریم کنید.

You must boycott this brand.

Modal 'bayad' (must).

من دیروز آن رستوران را تحریم کردم.

I boycotted that restaurant yesterday.

Past tense with time adverb.

شورای امنیت صادرات نفت را تحریم کرد.

The Security Council sanctioned oil exports.

Formal political terminology.

بسیاری از کشورها مسابقات المپیک را تحریم کردند.

Many countries boycotted the Olympic games.

Subject is 'bisyari az keshvar-ha'.

اگر قیمت‌ها بالا برود، مردم خرید را تحریم خواهند کرد.

If prices go up, people will boycott buying.

Conditional sentence with future tense.

آن‌ها به دلیل مسائل محیط زیستی، شرکت را تحریم کردند.

They boycotted the company due to environmental issues.

Use of 'be dalil-e' (due to).

آیا تحریم کردن راه حل خوبی است؟

Is sanctioning a good solution?

Gerund use of the verb as a subject.

دولت جدید تحریم‌ها را لغو کرد، اما برخی هنوز تحریم می‌کنند.

The new government lifted sanctions, but some still boycott.

Contrast between 'laghv' and 'tahrim'.

ما نباید دارو را تحریم کنیم.

We should not sanction medicine.

Ethical context.

آن‌ها موفق شدند فروش آن کالا را تحریم کنند.

They succeeded in boycotting the sale of that item.

Use of 'movaffaq shodan' (to succeed).

تحریم کردن بانک مرکزی باعث مشکلات اقتصادی شد.

Sanctioning the central bank caused economic problems.

Complex subject phrase.

کشورهای همسایه تصمیم گرفتند روابط تجاری را تحریم کنند.

Neighboring countries decided to boycott trade relations.

Compound object 'ravabet-e tejari'.

این اتحادیه اروپا بود که صادرات گاز را تحریم کرد.

It was the European Union that sanctioned gas exports.

Cleft sentence structure for emphasis.

فعالان مدنی از مردم خواستند که محصولات این کارخانه را تحریم کنند.

Civil activists asked the people to boycott this factory's products.

Subjunctive mood after 'khastan'.

به نظر می‌رسد که تحریم کردن دیگر اثر سابق را ندارد.

It seems that sanctioning no longer has its previous effect.

Impersonal 'be nazar mi-rasad'.

آن‌ها به جای جنگ، ترجیح دادند اقتصاد دشمن را تحریم کنند.

Instead of war, they preferred to sanction the enemy's economy.

Use of 'be jay-e' (instead of).

هر کسی که این قانون را نقض کند، تحریم خواهد شد.

Anyone who violates this law will be sanctioned.

Passive voice in the future tense.

تحریم کردن فرهنگی می‌تواند به هنرمندان آسیب بزند.

Cultural boycotting can harm artists.

Adjective 'farhangi' modifying the action.

سیاستمداران درباره پیامدهای ناخواسته تحریم کردن بحث می‌کنند.

Politicians are discussing the unintended consequences of sanctioning.

Advanced vocabulary 'payamad-ha-ye nakhwaste'.

تحریم کردن هوشمند هدفش فشار بر دولت است، نه مردم.

Smart sanctioning aims to pressure the government, not the people.

Specific political term 'tahrim-e hooshmand'.

حقوق‌دانان بین‌المللی مشروعیت تحریم کردن یک‌جانبه را زیر سؤال بردند.

International lawyers questioned the legitimacy of unilateral sanctioning.

Complex legal terminology.

این کشور با تحریم کردن منابع انرژی، فشار زیادی وارد کرد.

This country exerted great pressure by sanctioning energy resources.

Gerund as a means (with 'ba').

تاریخ نشان داده که تحریم کردن همیشه به تغییر رفتار منجر نمی‌شود.

History has shown that sanctioning doesn't always lead to behavioral change.

Present perfect 'neshan dade' and 'monjar shodan'.

آن‌ها با تحریم کردن سیستم بانکی، تجارت جهانی را مختل کردند.

By sanctioning the banking system, they disrupted global trade.

Advanced verb 'mokhtal kardan'.

تحریم کردن به عنوان ابزاری برای دیپلماسی نرم شناخته می‌شود.

Sanctioning is known as a tool for soft diplomacy.

Passive construction with 'shenakhte mi-shavad'.

گروه‌های فشار سعی دارند دولت را به تحریم کردن ترغیب کنند.

Pressure groups are trying to persuade the government to sanction.

Advanced verb 'targhib kardan'.

پارادوکسی در تحریم کردن وجود دارد که می‌تواند به تقویت رژیم‌های اقتدارگرا بینجامد.

There is a paradox in sanctioning that can lead to the strengthening of authoritarian regimes.

Highly academic 'paradox' and 'eqtedar-gara'.

تحریم کردن همه‌جانبه، شالوده اقتصادی آن ملت را از هم گسیخت.

Comprehensive sanctioning tore apart the economic foundation of that nation.

Literary 'shalude' and 'az ham gosikht'.

دکترین جدید بر پایه تحریم کردن هدفمند برای جلوگیری از اشاعه هسته‌ای است.

The new doctrine is based on targeted sanctioning to prevent nuclear proliferation.

Specialized terms 'doktrin' and 'esha'e-ye haste-i'.

در متون حقوقی، تحریم کردن به مثابه یک ضمانت اجرای بین‌المللی تلقی می‌گردد.

In legal texts, sanctioning is regarded as an international enforcement guarantee.

Archaic/Formal 'be masabe-ye' and 'talaghi mi-gardad'.

تحریم کردن نباید به نقض فاحش حقوق بشر در کشورهای تحت فشار منجر شود.

Sanctioning must not lead to gross violations of human rights in the pressured countries.

Legal term 'naghz-e fahesh'.

برخی منتقدان، تحریم کردن را نوعی جنگ اقتصادی مدرن می‌نامند.

Some critics call sanctioning a type of modern economic warfare.

Rhetorical framing.

اثربخشی تحریم کردن در گروی اجماع بین‌المللی و همکاری همه‌جانبه است.

The effectiveness of sanctioning depends on international consensus and all-out cooperation.

Idiomatic 'dar gerow-ye'.

تحریم کردن، فراتر از یک ابزار سیاسی، به یک سلاح استراتژیک بدل گشته است.

Sanctioning, beyond a political tool, has turned into a strategic weapon.

Literary 'badal gashte ast'.

Common Collocations

تحریم‌های اقتصادی

تحریم‌های بین‌المللی

لغو تحریم کردن

تحریم تسلیحاتی

تحریم نفتی

تحریم همه‌جانبه

دور زدن تحریم

وضع تحریم

شکستن تحریم

اثرات تحریم

Common Phrases

تحریم کالاهای اسرائیلی

— Boycotting Israeli goods. A common political slogan.

در تظاهرات، مردم خواستار تحریم کالاهای اسرائیلی شدند.

تحریم انتخابات

— Boycotting an election by refusing to vote.

برخی گروه‌ها انتخابات را تحریم کردند.

تحریم بانکی

— Banking sanctions; restricting financial transactions.

تحریم بانکی انتقال پول را سخت کرده است.

تحریم دارویی

— Medical sanctions; restricting access to medicine.

تحریم دارویی یک مسئله انسانی است.

تحریم هوشمند

— Smart sanctions; targeted at specific people.

غرب به دنبال تحریم هوشمند است.

تحریم ثانویه

— Secondary sanctions; penalizing third parties.

تحریم ثانویه شرکت‌های دیگر را می‌ترساند.

تحریم فرهنگی

— Cultural boycott; refusing cultural exchange.

تحریم فرهنگی می‌تواند روابط را تیره کند.

تحریم ورزشی

— Sports boycott; refusing to play or host.

تحریم ورزشی در تاریخ المپیک سابقه دارد.

تحریم یک‌جانبه

— Unilateral sanction; imposed by one country.

تحریم یک‌جانبه برخلاف قوانین بین‌المللی است.

تحریم شورای امنیت

— UN Security Council sanctions.

همه کشورها باید تحریم شورای امنیت را اجرا کنند.

Often Confused With

تحریم کردن vs حرام کردن

Means to waste or make religiously forbidden. 'Tahrim' is for legal/political sanctions.

تحریم کردن vs محروم کردن

Means to deprive someone of something. 'Tahrim' is specifically to sanction an entity.

تحریم کردن vs محکوم کردن

Means to condemn or sentence. Often heard in the same news segment as 'tahrim'.

Idioms & Expressions

"تحریم کردن سفره مردم"

— Metaphor for economic policies that harm the common people's livelihood.

این سیاست‌ها سفره مردم را تحریم کرده است.

Political/Journalistic

"خودتحریمی"

— Self-sanctioning; internal policies that cause as much harm as external sanctions.

مشکل ما فقط تحریم خارجی نیست، بلکه خودتحریمی هم داریم.

Critical/Economic

"تحریم شکن"

— A person or entity that finds ways to bypass sanctions.

او به عنوان یک تحریم شکن شناخته می‌شود.

Informal/Political

"سایه تحریم"

— The shadow of sanctions; the constant threat or looming presence of sanctions.

اقتصاد کشور زیر سایه تحریم است.

Literary/Journalistic

"دیوار تحریم"

— The wall of sanctions; the barrier created by international isolation.

باید دیوار تحریم را فرو ریخت.

Rhetorical

"قفل تحریم"

— The lock of sanctions; a situation where progress is stuck due to penalties.

کلید این قفل تحریم در دست دیپلماسی است.

Political Metaphor

"تحریم کور"

— Blind sanctions; sanctions that hit everyone without distinction.

تحریم کور فقط به مردم عادی صدمه می‌زند.

Critical

"هزینه تحریم"

— The cost of sanctions; the price paid for a specific policy.

دولت باید هزینه تحریم را بپردازد.

Economic

"شکاف تحریم"

— The gap created by sanctions in trade or relations.

این تحریم شکاف بزرگی ایجاد کرد.

Analytical

"ابزار تحریم"

— The tool of sanctions; using penalties as a weapon.

آمریکا از تحریم به عنوان یک ابزار استفاده می‌کند.

Political

Easily Confused

تحریم کردن vs حرام

Same root.

'Haram' is an adjective for religiously forbidden; 'Tahrim' is the act of sanctioning.

گوشت خوک حرام است. دولت آن کشور را تحریم کرد.

تحریم کردن vs احترام

Same root (H-R-M).

'Ehteram' means respect (keeping someone's 'sacred' boundary); 'Tahrim' is a penalty.

ما به او احترام می‌گذاریم.

تحریم کردن vs محرم

Same root.

'Mahram' is a close relative or confidant; 'Tahrim' is isolation.

او با من محرم است.

تحریم کردن vs محروم

Sound and root similarity.

'Mahrum' means deprived; 'Tahrim' means sanctioned.

او از دیدن فرزندش محروم شد.

تحریم کردن vs حریم

Same root.

'Harim' means private space or boundary; 'Tahrim' is the act of enforcing a boundary.

وارد حریم خصوصی من نشو.

Sentence Patterns

من [Object] را تحریم می‌کنم.

من این شیرینی را تحریم می‌کنم.

آن‌ها [Object] را تحریم کردند.

آن‌ها آن شرکت را تحریم کردند.

دولت باید [Object] را تحریم کند.

دولت باید واردات را تحریم کند.

[Object] به دلیل [Reason] تحریم شد.

آن کشور به دلیل جنگ تحریم شد.

تحریم کردنِ [Object] باعث [Consequence] می‌شود.

تحریم کردنِ بانک باعث تورم می‌شود.

مشروعیتِ تحریم کردنِ [Object] مورد تردید است.

مشروعیتِ تحریم کردنِ یک‌جانبه مورد تردید است.

آیا شما با تحریم کردنِ [Object] موافقید؟

آیا شما با تحریم کردنِ اسرائیل موافقید؟

هدف از تحریم کردن، فشار بر [Target] است.

هدف از تحریم کردن، فشار بر اقتصاد است.

Word Family

Nouns

تحریم (sanction)

تحریم‌کننده (sanctioner)

تحریم‌شونده (the one being sanctioned)

خودتحریمی (self-sanctioning)

Verbs

تحریم کردن (to sanction)

تحریم شدن (to be sanctioned)

محروم کردن (to deprive - related root)

Adjectives

تحریمی (related to sanctions)

تحریم‌طلب (sanction-seeking)

حرام (forbidden)

حریم (privacy/boundary)

احرام (pilgrim's garment)

محرم (confidant/forbidden)

احترام (respect - related root)

How to Use It

frequency

Extremely high in news and political science.

Common Mistakes

من او را تحریم کردم (meaning I stopped talking to him). → من با او قهر کردم.
Tahrim is for economic/political boycotts, not personal arguments.
او غذا را تحریم کرد (meaning he wasted the food). → او غذا را حرام کرد.
Haram kardan means to waste or make forbidden, not Tahrim.
دولت علیه ایران تحریم کرد. → دولت ایران را تحریم کرد.
In Persian, you usually sanction the country directly as an object without 'alayhe'.
تحریم‌ها لغو کرد. → تحریم‌ها لغو شدند.
Sanctions are lifted (passive), they don't lift themselves.
من تحریم را نان خریدم. → من به خاطر تحریم نان نخریدم.
The logic of the sentence must reflect the act of boycotting/sanctioning.

Tips

Object Marker

Always remember 'ra' (را) after the entity you are sanctioning. It's a definite object.

Noun Form

Learn 'tahrim-ha' (sanctions) as a noun; it's just as common as the verb.

Tobacco Protest

Mentioning the 'Tobacco Boycott' (Tahrim-e Tanbaku) will impress native speakers with your history knowledge.

The 'H'

The 'h' in 'Tahrim' is important. Don't skip it, or it might sound like a different word.

Lifting Sanctions

To say 'sanctions were lifted', use 'تحریم‌ها لغو شدند'.

News Watching

Watch Persian news for 10 minutes; you will likely hear this word at least once.

Tahrim vs Mamnu

Use 'Tahrim' for trade/politics and 'Mamnu' for simple rules like 'No Smoking'.

Formal Contexts

In academic writing, use 'اعمال تحریم' (imposing sanctions) for a more sophisticated tone.

Tough Rim

Recall 'Tough Rim' to remember the word 'Tahrim'.

Compound Verbs

Practice conjugating 'kardan' in all tenses to use 'tahrim kardan' fluently.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'Tah-rim' as 'Tough-Rim'. A 'Tough Rim' or boundary that you cannot cross or trade through. You are putting a 'tough rim' around a country.

Visual Association

Visualize a giant red 'X' over a shipping container or a bank vault being locked with a heavy chain.

Word Web

Siyasat (Politics) Eqtesad (Economy) Bazar (Market) Dolat (Government) Naft (Oil) Bank Ghanun (Law) Eteraz (Protest)

Challenge

Try to find three items in your house and say 'Man inra tahrim mikonam' (I boycott this) and explain why in simple Persian.

Word Origin

From the Arabic root H-R-M (ح-ر-م), which means to be forbidden, sacred, or prohibited. It entered Persian during the Islamic period.

Original meaning: To make something sacred or forbidden (Haram).

Semitic root (Arabic) integrated into Indo-European (Persian) verbal system.

Cultural Context

Be sensitive when discussing sanctions with Iranians, as it is a highly political and often painful topic affecting their daily lives.

In English, 'sanction' can also mean 'approval' (e.g., 'the plan was sanctioned by the board'). In Persian, 'Tahrim' *only* means the penalty/boycott side.

The Tobacco Protest (1891) The 1979 Oil Embargo The JCPOA (Nuclear Deal) discussions

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

International Relations

تحریم‌های اقتصادی
وضع تحریم
لغو تحریم
شورای امنیت

Shopping & Consumerism

تحریم کالا
نخریدن
اعتراض مصرف‌کننده
بایکوت

History Class

تحریم تنباکو
فتوا
استعمار
انحصار

Sports & Events

تحریم المپیک
عدم شرکت
اعتراض سیاسی
مسابقات

Daily Life

تحریم مغازه
گرانی
اعتراض
نرفتن

Conversation Starters

"آیا فکر می‌کنید تحریم کردن یک کشور راه درستی برای تغییر سیاست‌های آن است؟"

"آخرین باری که یک محصول یا برند را تحریم کردید چه زمانی بود؟"

"به نظر شما تحریم کردن فرهنگی چه تأثیری بر هنرمندان دارد؟"

"در تاریخ کشورتان، آیا موردی از تحریم کردن مشهور وجود دارد؟"

"اگر یک شرکت اخلاقی عمل نکند، آیا شما آن را تحریم می‌کنید؟"

Journal Prompts

درباره تأثیرات تحریم کردن بر زندگی روزمره مردم عادی بنویسید.

آیا تحریم کردن قوی‌تر از جنگ است؟ نظرات خود را شرح دهید.

یک داستان کوتاه درباره محله‌ای بنویسید که یک مغازه نانوایی را تحریم می‌کنند.

تفاوت بین تحریم کردن دولتی و بایکوت کردن مردمی را تحلیل کنید.

اگر شما رهبر یک کشور بودید، در چه شرایطی از تحریم کردن استفاده می‌کردید؟

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

No, it can apply to companies, organizations, products, or even events like the Olympics. It is also used colloquially for personal boycotts of shops.

In Persian, 'Tahrim' is the standard word for both. 'Boycott' is a loanword used mostly in informal or activist contexts, but 'Tahrim' is much more common.

The most common way is 'لغو تحریم‌ها' (laghv-e tahrim-ha) or 'برداشتن تحریم‌ها' (bardashtan-e tahrim-ha).

From the perspective of the one being sanctioned, yes. However, for the one sanctioning, it is seen as a tool for justice or policy change.

You can 'tahrim' a person's business or products, but if you stop talking to a friend, you use 'ghahr kardan'.

It is neutral to formal. It's used in everyday news but also in casual talk about boycotting a bad restaurant.

It's called 'Khod-tahrim-i'. It refers to internal problems or laws that hurt a country as much as external sanctions do.

While the root is religious (Haram), in modern Persian, 'Tahrim kardan' is almost exclusively a political and economic term.

Usually, you don't need one. Just use the object + 'ra'. If you must use one, 'alayhe' (against) is sometimes used in very formal writing.

Yes, etymologically! Both come from the root meaning 'sacred/forbidden'. Respecting someone means acknowledging their sacred boundary.