نای

Persian

Alternative forms

• نی (ney)

Etymology

From Middle Persian nʾd (nāy, “reed, cane; tube, pipe, flute, clarion”), from Proto-Indo-Iranian *nada (compare Sanskrit नड (naḍá)), from Proto-Indo-European *nedo- (“reed”); See Old Armenian նետ (net, “arrow”) for more.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Persian) IPA^(key): /ˈnaːj/

 

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [nɑːj]

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [nɑːj]
  • (Kabuli) IPA^(key): [nɑːj]
  • (Hazaragi) IPA^(key): [näj]

• (Iran, formal) IPA^(key): [nɒːj]

• (Tajik, formal) IPA^(key): [nɔj]

Readings
Classical reading?	nāy
Dari reading?	nāy
Iranian reading?	nây
Tajik reading?	noy

• Audio (Iran):

  (file)

Noun

Dari	نای
Iranian Persian
Tajik	ной

نای • (nây)

1. reed
2. reed-pipe
3. flute, flageolet, fife
4. ney
5. throat
6. trachea
7. pride, vainglory

Related terms

• سرنا (sornâ)
• کرنا (karnâ)

References

• Steingass, Francis Joseph (1892), “نای”, in A Comprehensive Persian–English dictionary, London: Routledge & K. Paul