This glossary lists English words alongside their equivalents in the local languages of Afghanistan — the everyday words you will encounter when reading about Afghan daily life, institutions, and culture.
Alkhatu
Meaning: Female genie from Hazara legend | Translation: اَلْخَتُو
A female supernatural figure from Hazara oral tradition. She takes the form of a woman — long hair, long nails — and is known for a strong, unpleasant odor that arrives before she does. Encounters with her are said to leave people paralyzed or unable to speak.
→ Alkhatu: The Female Genie of Hazara Legend
Boji
Meaning: Woven sack | Translation: بوجی
A woven sack, usually made of plastic, used to carry goods such as flour, rice, or grain. In the craft of boji-dozi, plain sacks like this are embroidered with colorful patterns and turned into bags, floor spreads, and saddlebags.
→ Boji-Dozi: Afghanistan’s Sack Embroidery Craft
Bukhari
Meaning: Coal-burning metal stove | Translation: بخاری
A metal stove used to heat rooms in Afghan homes and workplaces. It burns coal as its primary fuel. Two versions exist: a locally made sheet steel version and an imported cast iron version. → How Afghans Heat Their Homes in Winter
Chai Khana
Meaning: Tea house | Translation: چای خانه
A tea house — a place where tea is served and people sit, talk, and rest. Chai khanas are found across Afghanistan in cities, bazaars, and along roads. They are typically run all day, with a samawat kept lit from opening to closing.
→ The Samawat: How Afghans Heat Water for Tea
Chari
Meaning: Wood-burning metal stove | Translation: چاری
A metal stove used to heat rooms in Afghan homes, burning wood rather than coal. Like the bukhari, it comes in sheet steel and cast iron versions. → How Afghans Heat Their Homes in Winter
Chub e Archa
Meaning: Juniper wood | Translation: چوبِ اَرچه
A light wood used to start the fire in a samawat or chari. It catches quickly and burns cleanly with almost no smoke, but burns fast — making it too expensive to use as the main fuel for long periods.
→ The Samawat: How Afghans Heat Water for Tea → How Afghans Heat Their Homes in Winter
Chub e Balut
Meaning: Oak wood | Translation: چوبِ بلوط
A heavy hardwood used as the main fuel in a samawat or chari once the fire is established. Harder to light than archa, but burns long and steady — making it the practical choice for sustained use through the day.
→ The Samawat: How Afghans Heat Water for Tea → How Afghans Heat Their Homes in Winter
Chub e Roghani
Meaning: Fatwood | Translation: چوبِ روغنی
Resin-saturated pine heartwood used in very small amounts to start a samawat or chari fire. The natural resin — roghani means oily in Dari — makes it catch quickly, but it produces heavy smoke, so only a small piece is used to ignite the archa.
→ The Samawat: How Afghans Heat Water for Tea → How Afghans Heat Their Homes in Winter
Coaster
Meaning: Medium shared transport vehicle | Translation: کاستر
A common shared city vehicle used on fixed routes in Afghanistan. It is smaller than a bus but larger than a van, and passengers can also stand inside when crowded.
Da Breshna Sherkat
Meaning: Afghanistan Electricity Company | Translation: د برشنا شرکت
The government entity responsible for electricity in Afghanistan, also known by its acronym DABS. Da means “of” or “the” in Pashto; Breshna is the Pashto word for electricity; Sherkat means company.
Destarkhan
Meaning: Floor spread for dining | Translation: دسترخوان
A cloth or plastic sheet spread on the floor to dine around. It protects the carpet underneath from spills and dropped food, and works the other way too — if the carpet itself isn’t clean enough for food, the destarkhan keeps the meal off it.
→ Boji-Dozi: Afghanistan’s Sack Embroidery Craft
Flankoj
Meaning: Large Toyota van | Translation: فلنکوج
A locally modified Toyota van used for urban shared transport. Fitted with extra seating to carry around 16 passengers.
Hazara
Meaning: An ethnic group of Afghanistan | Translation: هزاره
One of the main ethnic groups of Afghanistan, primarily inhabiting the central highlands known as the Hazarajat. They have a distinct culture, oral tradition, and history within the country. Hazaras speak their own accent of Dari. → Alkhatu: The Female Genie of Hazara Legend
Halab
Meaning: Galvanized sheet steel | Translation: حَلَب
Thin steel sheets coated with zinc, giving them a shiny silver appearance and resistance to rust. The primary material used by Afghan metalworkers to make samawats. Widely used across Afghanistan for household items, roofing, and containers.
→ The Samawat: How Afghans Heat Water for Tea → How Afghans Heat Their Homes in Winter
Jinn
Meaning: Supernatural being in Islamic folklore | Translation: جن
A jinn (also spelled djinn) is a supernatural creature mentioned in Islamic folklore across the Middle East and Central/South Asia. Jinn are believed to be beings created from smokeless fire, capable of taking different forms, and are often associated with mysterious or unexplained events. In Afghan stories, jinn can be both helpful or harmful, and are sometimes described as genies in English.
→ Alkhatu: The Female Genie of Hazara Legend
Lahaf
Meaning: Heavy quilt or blanket | Translation: لحاف
A thick quilt used for warmth in Afghan homes. The lahaf is layered over the sandali table and spread around it to trap the heat from the charcoal brazier beneath. Also used as a sleeping blanket in winter.
→ How Afghans Heat Their Homes in Winter
Milli Bus
Meaning: National Bus | Translation: ملی بس
The former government-run bus service in Afghanistan. Milli means national or belonging to the people.
Minibus
Meaning: Small passenger bus | Translation: مینی بس
A smaller bus used for shared urban transport in Afghanistan. It is a separate vehicle type from coasters.
Pol-e-Bagh-Omumi
Meaning: A place in Kabul | Translation: پل باغ عمومی
A well-known area in Kabul. Pol means bridge, Bagh means garden, and Omumi means public.
→ Inside the Broken System of Afghanistan’s Governmental Schools
Rickshaw
Meaning: Motorcycle with a passenger wagon attached | Translation: ریکشا
A motorcycle-based vehicle with a passenger wagon attached, used for short, low-cost city trips.
Sandali
Meaning: Low table heating system | Translation: صندلی
A low wooden table placed over a charcoal brazier, with heavy quilts and blankets layered over it and spread around it. The family sits or lies around the sandali with legs beneath the blankets to stay warm. It is a social fixture of Afghan winter life — meals, tea, homework, and conversation all happen around it. Known as korsi in Iran.
→ How Afghans Heat Their Homes in Winter
Samawat
Meaning: Wood-fired water urn | Translation: سماوات
A tall cylindrical metal urn used to heat and hold water for tea. Wood is fed into a side firebox; heat travels up a central chimney and warms the surrounding water. Hot water is drawn from a tap at the base. Made locally by Afghan metalworkers from halab (galvanized sheet steel), and built entirely for function rather than display.
→ The Samawat: How Afghans Heat Water for Tea
Shorba / Shorwa
Meaning: Soup | Translation: شوربا / شوروا
A traditional soup dish commonly prepared in Afghan homes. Its main ingredients are meat (chicken, beef, lamb, or mutton), potato, water, salt, oil, and pepper. It is usually eaten with fresh bread. It is also a popular choice for large catering and for serving home guests, and is widely loved and frequently prepared.
→ 7 Reasons to Love Afghanistan Beyond the Headlines
Tasadi
Meaning: Government enterprise | Translation: تصدی
A state-owned entity expected to generate income for the government. Distinct from a ministry or department.
Taraqi Talim
Meaning: Education Progress | Translation: ترقی تعلیم
Name of the teacher attendance record book used in governmental schools. Taraqi means progress; Talim means education.
→ Inside the Broken System of Afghanistan’s Governmental Schools
Tunis
Meaning: Small Toyota van | Translation: تونس
A smaller locally modified Toyota van used for urban shared transport. Typically carries around 12 passengers.
Zoghal
Meaning: Charcoal | Translation: زغال
Charcoal made by burning wood slowly in low-oxygen conditions. The primary fuel used in the sandali’s brazier. Also used in the tandoor oven for cooking. Burns more cleanly than raw wood with less visible smoke, but produces carbon monoxide and must be used in ventilated spaces.
→ How Afghans Heat Their Homes in Winter
Zoghal Sang
Meaning: Coal | Translation: زغال سنگ
A fossil fuel mined from the earth, formed underground over millions of years from compressed organic matter. Sang means stone in Dari, distinguishing it from zoghal (charcoal). The primary fuel for the bukhari. Afghanistan has substantial coal deposits, mainly in the northern provinces of Baghlan and Samangan.
→ How Afghans Heat Their Homes in Winter
New terms are added with each post. Bookmark this page and come back to explore more of the language behind everyday Afghan life.
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