All Nyaudzosingwi

Figurative Expressions

• dzudzunuDescribes arriving when people are not expecting it. Example: the madman just appeared, dzudzunu, out of the bush. Compare tutururu.
• dzunduDescribes cutting down weeds with a hoe.
• dzungaUsed of moving about aimlessly, wandering around with no purpose (dzunga dzunga).
• dzvaruDescribes carrying something by placing it on the shoulder.
• dzvatsuDescribes seeing or coming upon someone unexpectedly, when they do not suspect it; as when a mother came upon her child unawares, already holding stolen money.
• dzviDescribes taking hold of something firmly, gripping with force.
• dzvokoDescribes staring at someone to show that you are angry with them or do not like them, without taking your eye off them.
• dzvongoDescribes something such as a log being bent or crooked at one point along it.
• dzvonyoDescribes the drawing back or coming away of the skin that covers the front of a man's organ.
• dzvuDescribes striking something hard with a stick or a switch. Also of provoking someone by shoving them, or nudging them lightly with the elbow; and of growing up out of the age of childishness.
• dzvutuDescribes opening the eyes wide yet not clearly seeing what one is looking at, as though one were dreaming.
• dzwiVariant spelling of "dzvi".
• fa
• fa-aDescribes water, or other things put on the fire, beginning to boil or bubble up: when the milk you are heating goes fa-a, take it off before it froths over and spills into the fire (compare fanzai). Also used of a person sitting at ease, relaxed and cheerful, with nothing troubling their mind.
• fa faDescribes pouring water or medicine in a quick scattering or sprinkling motion.
• fabuDescribes filling right up a vessel able to hold water or the like, as in filling a large container with petrol. Also used of releasing air that had been shut in or compressed, as when a child cut his ball with a razor and the air inside rushed out.
• fadhamuUsed of walking with long strides, as one does when angered (fadhamu fadhamu).
• fai faiUsed of a pot that is fai fai with water, that is, filled right up to the brim.
• faka fakaDescribes a great abundance of things, animals or people.
• fakanyaDescribes showing happiness or being free of anything troubling one. Compare fakafaka.
• fambeDescribes having set off and gone, but not yet having gone far.
• famvamaDescribes bending forward with the hands resting on the knees.
• fandanuDescribes the opening up or coming out of things that had been pressed or squeezed into a place. Also of speaking out openly about matters that had been concealed.
• fanduDescribes things coming out of a container in which they had been tightly packed; also the going, coming or emerging of many things all at the same time.
• fangavayaVariant spelling of "tuzu".
• fanguDescribes increasing one's speed on a bicycle, car or other means of transport. Also of striking someone in the face with a fist.
• fanzaiDescribes water, milk or the like beginning to steam when it is about to boil.
• farandandaDescribes things being scattered or spread out over a wide area, as goats spread about in a pen.
• faranuDescribes the great breadth of something: this cloth is so wide that even three people could cover themselves with it. Also of showing great joy after having been downcast — the child had sat dejected all day, then brightened up when his mother came.
• fararaUsed of things that are numerous and spread out over a large area.
• faratataDescribes air escaping little by little, as from a tyre with a small puncture. Also used of a person dying slowly, bit by bit, until they breathe no more.
• faruDescribes suddenly showing great joy.
• fashaDescribes filling a container with grain or water to overflowing: he poured sorghum into the basket until it was full, fasha. Also of drinking a drink straight down and finishing it, draining the vessel you are drinking from.
• fashai
• fashanuDescribes many things coming out at one and the same time: the cattle came streaming out of the kraal. Compare fatyu.
• fashu
• fatarataDescribes falling down after being tripped by something.
• fatataDescribes sleeping deeply, overcome by sleep; also of dying, especially when it happens suddenly and unexpectedly; also of falling down and sprawling flat on one's stomach.
• fatyanuVariant spelling of "fatyu".
• fatyuVariant spelling of "fashanu".
• favaDescribes lying down flat on one's stomach.
• favavaDescribes lying down in a way that shows you are comfortable and have nothing troubling you. Also of hiding in a place where you are not easily seen.
• fe-eDescribes water falling or dripping little by little.
• fe-e
• fe-eDescribes blowing the nose forcefully; also the blowing of a cool breeze; also of air escaping from the body.
• fe-eThe sound heard when a little wind or air escapes through a narrow opening. Also used of breathing.
• fe feThe sound a person makes when sniffing snuff up the nose, or when drawing mucus back into the nose.
• fe feThe sound made when playing a flute or a horn, as one blows air into it.
• fedemaDescribes standing with the stomach drawn in, having just breathed out all the air that was in the lungs.
• fefemuDescribes peeling the skin off a fruit such as an orange, or off a cooked sweet potato or potato.
• fefemuUsed of a person who comes round or revives after having fainted or been so gravely ill as to seem dead. Compare pepu.
• fefenuDescribes removing the skin or scab from a sore.
• feferuDescribes swelling up.
• fekesheThe sound, fekeshe fekeshe, made when you walk through sand. Compare zhaka zhaka.
• fekuDescribes swelling up.
• fekuDescribes the sprouting of many crops all at the same time. Also describes the spreading of a disease all at one time.
• fekuDescribes deliberately flaring one's nostrils. Compare fengu.
• fembuDescribes drawing breath in through the nose, as a person does when taking snuff or when trying to catch a smell. Also used of becoming suspicious or having a hunch about something.
• femuDescribes growing in body and becoming very fat; compare feru. Also describes cutting so as to remove a piece; compare fendu.
• fenduDescribes plants coming up in large numbers all at the same time. Also of cutting or taking a piece off something.
• fenengaUsed of sitting in a raised or elevated place. Also used of standing with the stomach drawn in.
• fenengeDescribes standing with the stomach pulled in, after breathing out the air that was in the body; compare fetu.
• fengu
• fenya fenyaUsed of having a long nose or long jaws. Also describes showing disrespect towards someone while screwing up your face at them.
• fenyeuDescribes the opening of a woman's genitals; compare panyangu.
• fere fereUsed of wind blowing fere fere: it blows a little, pauses for a moment, blows again, then pauses again.
• ferendendeDescribes being overwhelmed by the things you are doing because they have become too many for you. Also describes people or animals scattering to various different places.
• ferenguDescribes carving out the inside of something, making it larger by removing what is in it.
• ferenuDescribes the peeling off of the skin from something edible such as an orange or a potato. Compare fefemu, feferu.
• ferereThe sound of a strong current of air, or of wind passing through or escaping from an open vessel such as a large gourd.
• feruUsed of a person who is swelling up or growing fat all over the body. Also describes things on the fire beginning to boil.
• feshaUsed of a person who says fesha during working hours, meaning they have taken a rest and momentarily forgotten about the work. Compare pe-e.
• fetengaVariant spelling of "fenenga".
• feteteDescribes whistling a soft, gentle tune.
• fetuDescribes drawing the stomach in after breathing out the air that was in the body. Compare fenenge. Also describes jumping backwards.
• fetyaDescribes sitting down with the back hunched over, the way a monkey does.
• fetya fetyaDescribes walking in a self-important, showy manner, with the back bent and the arms dangling.
• fi-iThe sound air makes as it escapes through a narrow opening, as when pumping a bicycle; also the sound water on the fire makes when it is about to start boiling. Also describes scratching the skin lightly with something sharp, such as a needle.
• fidaDescribes suddenly changing the expression on your face to show displeasure; compare defa. Also used of the weather, when conditions change and turn bad.
• fifinyaDescribes loading a heavy thing onto someone to carry. Also describes screwing up or wrinkling the face.
• findimwaVariant spelling of "kwirindindi".
• finhuUsed when a person changes the expression on their face to show anger.
• fininiThe sound made by water on the fire when it is about to boil, heard as finini.
• finyaUsed of a person who screws up or wrinkles the face.
• finyinyiCompare sinini. The sound made by water on the fire when it is about to boil.
• fiyoThe sound of air escaping audibly from a tyre when it has a hole in it.
• foDescribes the ripening that crops have just undergone, such as maize in the field.
• foDescribes pinching someone hard, or pressing and squeezing the inside of someone's arm with your thumb. Also the sound made when wind passes over an open tin with a small mouth; compare fe-e. Also used of snapping a stalk.
• fo-oThe sound of a large amount of air rushing out audibly, as from a burst tube.
• fo-oThe faint sound fo-o that water makes when it is about to start boiling. Also describes cooking so quickly that one finishes immediately. Compare fu-u.
• fodoDescribes pinching someone very hard, so that it hurts.
• fodogoDescribes pinching painfully with the fingernails.
• foi foi
• fomboUsed when you scoop something out from the inside. Describes scooping out a substance such as peanut butter or fat.
• fomoVariant spelling of "vhomo".
• fondoDescribes bending over, as one does when weeding.
• fongoDescribes a person stooping or bending over without caring whether their body is covered or not.
• foonoDescribes betraying your companions to their enemies by revealing what you had planned together. Example: everything they had planned was disclosed to the police by the elder brother's wife, and they were all arrested.
• foonyoVariant spelling of "foono".
• forototoDescribes the air going out of a wheel or a ball that has been pierced by a thorn; compare fototo.
• fototoUsed of a fire that is going out.
• fotyoVariant spelling of "potyo".
• foveUsed when something falls inside. Also describes swallowing all the food at once.
• fovoDescribes the wilting of something that was fresh and tender, such as a sweet potato plant.
• fovotoUsed of something that has gone soft, showing that it is about to rot.
• fovovoDescribes a sweet potato or potato that was fresh going limp and withered. Also used when something falls inside. Also describes being lost for words because you have been defeated in argument or because you have finally understood: he thought he had caught me out, but when I explained to him everything that had happened he simply fell silent.
• fozoDescribes falling from a very high place.
• fuUsed of something that has come to an end or vanished so as never to be seen again; of breathing forcefully, as an angry bull does; of blowing to remove dirt or dust; of disappearing suddenly so that nothing more is seen, as a snake entering a hole; and of something, such as food, running out. Compare tsvai.
• fuThe sound of a person blowing out through the nose when clearing mucus.
• fu-uDescribes warming up again something that had gone cold. Also the hissing sound made by water or something else boiling on the fire.
• fudigiDescribes closing something up by covering it over.
• fuduguUsed when you open a thing up or uncover it in order to see what is inside.
• fufuDescribes walking while dragging the legs, as a duck does. Also used of a container that is completely full, to the point of spilling over. Example: the basket was full to overflowing with rapoko.
• fufumuDescribes the swelling of a place on the body; also the rising of water in a river. Compare tuku.
• fufunuDescribes peeling off the thin outer skin of something such as a blister or a sore; compare fefenu.
• fuguVariant spelling of "fuku".
• fuguduVariant spelling of "fuku".
• fukataDescribes turning your back on someone; if you go fukata on a person, you have turned away from them. Compare mbunde.
• fuku
• fukuDescribes removing clothing or something else that was covering something.
• fuku fukuDescribes the settling of a hen's feathers back into place after it has shaken itself.
• fukufukuDescribes a hen going fukufuku in the dust, rolling about in it as though bathing in it.
• fukumuDescribes getting up quickly in the morning (compare karakata); also describes lacking manners or decorum.
• fukunuDescribes lifting or pulling out something that was buried in soft soil.
• fukunyuVariant spelling of "fukunu".
• fukusuDescribes turning back or returning by retracing the way one had come.
• fumuDescribes shaming or embarrassing someone in front of a crowd.
• funduDescribes the swelling or bulging out of a part of something, that part standing unevenly against the rest of it.
• fundumaVariant spelling of "fundumwa".
• fundumwaUsed of a face that is set in a way showing anger or hurt feelings.
• fundunduDescribes the raising of the back or the hump, as an angry animal does.
• funhiVariant spelling of "kwidiba".
• funhuVariant spelling of "kudubu".
• funuDescribes the peeling away of a skin, as of an orange or of a cooked sweet potato. Compare fefenu.
• funyaDescribes tying something up, or screwing up the face.
• furuDescribes stripping the leaves off a stalk quickly.
• fuseDescribes covering something over by putting soil at its opening. Compare fushi. Also describes the swelling up of an injured part of the body.
• fushiVariant spelling of "fuse".
• fushuDescribes grain spilling out of a sack that has burst open. Compare fuzhu.
• fushunuDescribes many things coming out, or being brought out, all at the same time, as ants do. Compare fuzhunu.
• fushunu fushunuDescribes the digging of a hole, as a mouse does when pushing the soil out onto the surface.
• fusuDescribes jumping backwards when you were not yet standing firmly.
• futuDescribes a person or an animal suddenly dying. Also describes something suddenly going flat, losing its air, such as a ball or a wheel.
• futunuDescribes swelling up or becoming fat, as a ball or an inner tube does when pumped full of air.
• fututuDescribes something swelling up or growing bulky because it was not firmly pressed or packed down. Also describes the falling silent of a person who has been angered.
• fututu fututuDescribes the walking of an angry person.
• futyunuDescribes bringing out a large quantity of things at one time without using much effort. Also describes bulging the eyes outward in a fixed stare, as a person does when astonished or startled.
• fuzhuDescribes things bursting out of a container used for carrying. The grain went fuzhu when the sack tore. Compare fushu.
• fuzhunuVariant spelling of "-fushunu".
• gaDescribes falling from a high place to a lower one head downwards, so that it is the head that strikes the ground first.
• gaDescribes chopping something with an axe or another cutting implement.
• ga-aDescribes a bright light flashing out for a brief moment. People found out who the thief was when a torch went ga-a.
• ga gaDescribes chopping with something sharp or hard, using a great deal of force.
• ga ga gaDescribes laughing in a high-pitched voice, showing great delight. Example: he burst out laughing ga ga ga when told to go out with a girl he did not want.
• gabada gabadaDescribes walking noisily, like a person wearing oversized shoes. When he was caught in the rain wearing gumboots he walked along going gabada gabada.
• gabhuDescribes catching fire fiercely and without warning, as grass does, or something that has had paraffin put on it. Example: when the wind came the dry grass went up gabhu. Compare ngandu.
• gabhuVariant spelling of "bhagu".
• gabidi gabidiDescribes drinking in such a way that the sound is heard in the throat. When the cattle had finished eating the meal, they went gabidi gabidi drinking the water that was in the drums.
• gabuDescribes striking hard with the fist. Also describes the goring of cattle with their horns when fighting.
• gadaDescribes sitting down on the ground; also describes falling on the back of the head.
• gada gadaDescribes walking with the head held up in the air.
• gadagaDescribes letting the head hang backwards, as a child does when it falls asleep while being carried on the back. Compare ragu ragu.
• gadaga narlanaDescribes walking in such a way that people watching you admire you.
• gaduDescribes striking a person or something else with force. Compare ga-a, ja-a. Also describes chopping forcefully with a cutting tool.
• gadyaDescribes swallowing liquid things, with the throat heard making a sound.
• gadzaDescribes setting something down gently after it has been lifted up.
• gadzakataDescribes setting something down in such a way that it will not topple over onto the ground.
• gaga gagaDescribes the falling of drops of water when rain is just beginning. Compare dodo dodo.
• gagadi gagadiThe sound or manner of a horse running in a race.
• gagaduDescribes biting off a small piece from something hard.
• gagamaVariant spelling of "gaga".
• gagami gagamiDescribes walking while favouring a leg that is sore or shorter than the other. He went gagami gagami on his way home, as the thorn that had snapped off in his leg was very big.
• gahananaDescribes keeping one's gaze fixed on something without blinking.
• gamhiUsed of a person who is not treading properly, because his leg is painful.
• gamuDescribes receiving something humbly, with a show of modesty.
• gangaraDescribes being fully out in the open, plainly exposed. When the clouds had cleared, the moon was left standing out gangara.
• gangavataUsed of something that is out in the open where it can be seen.
• ganhuDescribes water ceasing to flow or rain stopping; also describes dividing things or places apart. The two men had a big farm, but they split it ganhu down the middle, one taking this side and one the other.
• gapiDescribes lapping up water the way a dog drinks water.
• garagadaDescribes climbing up on top of something high.
• garagadaDescribes collapsing in a heap, as a beast does when it is struck with an axe at slaughter. When he was hit with a hard fist, he went down garagada.
• gasuDescribes the ceasing of the rain.
• ge ge geDescribes cutting deeply with a sharpened object so that the place gapes open. Also used of laughing.
• gebuDescribes goring or butting forcefully with the horns.
• gede gedeVariant spelling of "gede".
• gegeduDescribes the crunching of something hard while eating. "I heard gegedu and knew he was eating a bone."
• gejeVariant spelling of "gede".
• geruDescribes cutting hair, usually with scissors.
• giDescribes striking hard with the fist.
• gi giDescribes walking while striking the ground so that it makes a rumbling noise. Example: I heard gi gi behind the house and knew that father had arrived.
• gi gi giDescribes laughing noisily in a high-pitched voice. Compare ge ge ge.
• gidhi gidhiDescribes the movement of an animal or person striking the ground noisily as they go.
• gidhi-iDescribes making a very loud noise like the going off of a bomb. Example: When the gun went off gidhi-i, everyone fled.
• goDescribes sitting with the buttocks on the ground and the feet also planted on the ground, usually done by someone who is tired. Example: I saw him just sitting go in the field while the others worked.
• goDescribes chopping a tree or some other thing. When a snake does go, it has bitten something.
• go go goDescribes the dripping of water or of other things onto one and the same spot. Compare dho dho dho.
• go go goUsed of a person asking permission to enter (knocking). Example: I heard go go go and knew there was someone outside. Compare ko ko ko.
• go-oUsed of food that is over-salted. Example: The relish was go-o and sharp because it had been seasoned twice.
• go tendeDescribes sitting down in a thoroughly settled, comfortable manner.
• gobodo gobodoDescribes walking with the heels and toes making an audible sound.
• godiUsed when something has gone godi, meaning it has entered into some place.
• godi godiDescribes climbing a step or something else quickly. Compare kata kata.
• gofuDescribes inserting a finger or a stick in order to get something out, usually from a hole. Example: poke gofu into the hole with a stick.
• gojo gojoDescribes the noise a cart makes as it travels over rough, uneven ground. "Don't let the cart go over the rocks making gojo gojo."
• gojodoDescribes the falling of a large object with a loud noise, usually one made of metal. Example: The car went gojodo into the gully because the driver was drunk.
• gojodoDescribes the collapse of a person or animal that has suddenly lost all strength. Example: the beast was given just one blow of the axe and down it went gojodo. Compare gwadagwa.
• gojotoDescribes falling to the ground with a noise. "He dropped the piece of iron down, gojoto."
• goko-oThe cry a hen makes when it has been startled: goko-o.
• gombeDescribes the loss of strength, usually in the knees.
• gondoroThe sound made like that of an empty drum when it is struck by something.
• gongondoroThe sound made by an empty bucket or empty drum when it falls.
• gonjoroThe rattling sound made by a cart or an empty drum, especially when there is a small piece of metal or a small stone inside it.
• gorwaDescribes sitting with the legs spread apart. "The children were sitting gorwa in the sand."
• guDescribes the knocking of one thing against another (compare bvanga, guma); also the unplanned meeting of people; also the emptying out of things by tapping the container they are in. Example: Tap this tin gu so that all the salt comes out.
• guDescribes staring at a person for a long time.
• gubhuDescribes entering water and splashing it. Compare puva, bhangu.
• gubhuDescribes water splashing or gushing out of a vessel such as a gourd. Example: The water went gubhu out of the bucket when I knocked against it.
• gubidiDescribes swallowing quickly, with a slight sound made inside.
• gubuDescribes striking something so that whatever was inside it spills out. "He struck the plate gubu, and all the relish fell in the dirt."
• gubvutu gubvutuThe swishing noise made by a person wearing a dress or garment that reaches down to the legs.
• guchutuUsed when a person has sat down on the ground in a way that shows great exhaustion. Compare rukutu.
• gudaVariant spelling of "gwadara".
• gudeUsed of a person covering the whole body with a blanket or a cloth.
• gudhu-u
• guduDescribes swallowing something such as water in a way that makes the throat sound.
• guduDescribes the snapping of something in the middle. Example: He broke the maize cob gudu and gave his elder brother one piece.
• gudubiVariant spelling of "gurwi".
• gudubu gudubu
• guduguUsed of a person wrapping the whole body in a blanket or a cloth.
• gudumuUsed when something has fallen from a high place.
• guduruVariant spelling of "gunduru".
• gudyaDescribes swallowing something noisily.
• gudyuDescribes swallowing water or some other drink noisily. Compare gadya, gatya.
• guguduDescribes beating a thing or a person until it dies. "The boy struck the puppy gugudu, thinking he was playing, but he had actually killed it."
• guguduruDescribes crunching hard food with the mouth closed. Compare babandu.
• gujuDescribes bouncing or being jolted up into the air, as happens when something travels along a poorly made road.
• gukuchiDescribes carrying many assorted things at once. "He had pumpkins, groundnuts, bambara nuts, maize and sugarcane gukuchi in his arms."
• gumbu
• gumbushuDescribes lying down out in the open with nothing to cover oneself with.
• gumhiDescribes the walk of a person who has injured one leg or who is crippled.
• gumhikumhiVariant spelling of "gumhi".
• gumuDescribes knocking or striking against something gently. Also describes causing things to spill after knocking the container they are in, and also the starting of doing something.
• gundumu
• gunduru
• gunguDescribes being aggrieved or distressed.
• gungunduruDescribes finishing off food or drink that one had. Also describes the rolling of a heavy object with a hole through its middle, and the noise caused by striking something such as a drum with a stone.
• gununu gununu
• gurududuDescribes tilting the head to one side in a way that shows a person is sad. Example: when he was worn out from crying for his mother, the child let his head go gurududu as he sat on the ground.
• guruguduDescribes moving about in a way that is heard from inside something. "I could hear cockroaches going gurugudu in my box of clothes."
• gurugudyuThe sound made when a person swallows something hurriedly.