Q: What kind of "pieces" does مهرههای refer to?

مهره (plural: مهرهها) refers to the playing pieces in board games like chess or backgammon. The sentence uses the Ezafe (-ی) to link it to حریف (opponent), meaning "the opponent's pieces". Outside of board games, مهره can also mean a bead, a vertebra, or a nut (as in nuts and bolts).

Question 1

Why does this sentence use بزدل instead of the -انه suffix word بزدلانه that we just learned?

Accepted Answer

The suffix -انه turns a noun or adjective into an adverb of manner (meaning "like a...") or an adjective describing an action. Here, we are describing a person (آدم), so we use the base adjective بزدل. If we were describing how someone played a game or made a move, we would use بزدلانه (cowardly).

Question 2

In English we say "afraid of", but the Farsi sentence uses از (from). Is this standard?

Accepted Answer

Yes! In Farsi, the verb ترسیدن (to fear / be afraid) always pairs with the preposition از (from). You literally say that someone is afraid from something. It's best to memorize them together as a set phrase: از چیزی ترسیدن (to be afraid of something).

Question 3

What is the literal meaning of the word بزدل?

Accepted Answer

بزدل is a compound word made of بز (goat) and دل (heart). So, a coward in Farsi is literally described as someone who is "goat-hearted"!

Question 4

Why does the sentence use آدم بزدل instead of just saying بزدل?

Accepted Answer

While بزدل can act as a noun on its own, Farsi speakers frequently use the word آدم (person) plus an adjective to talk about types of people. Using آدم بزدل (linked by a spoken Ezafe: âdam-e bozdel) is just a very natural, conversational way to say "a coward" or "a cowardly person".

Question 5

What kind of "pieces" does مهره‌های refer to?

Accepted Answer

مهره (plural: مهره‌ها) refers to the playing pieces in board games like chess or backgammon. The sentence uses the Ezafe (-ی) to link it to حریف (opponent), meaning "the opponent's pieces". Outside of board games, مهره can also mean a bead, a vertebra, or a nut (as in nuts and bolts).

آدم بزدل از مهره‌های حریف می‌ترسد.

Breakdown of آدم بزدل از مهره‌های حریف می‌ترسد.

Questions & Answers about آدم بزدل از مهره‌های حریف می‌ترسد.

Learn آدم بزدل از مهره‌های حریف می‌ترسد and more in Farsi