In a Haft-sin display, the Persian name for vinegar is serkeh.
Haft-sin is the traditional Nowruz arrangement built around seven symbolic items whose names begin with the Persian letter sin, or “s.” Serkeh, meaning vinegar, is one of the items commonly included in descriptions of the display. It is often associated with age, patience and the passage of time.
The other widely recognized items include sib, or apple; somāq, or sumac; senjed, or oleaster fruit; sabzeh, or sprouts; samanu, a sweet wheat pudding; and seer, or garlic. Regional tables may include additional objects such as a mirror, candles, painted eggs and the Qur’an or another book.
Lists can vary because Haft-sin is a living household tradition rather than a single legally fixed menu. The important naming feature is that the core symbolic foods begin with sin.