Nyaudzosingwi starting with C

Figurative Expressions

• chaThe sound made by something that has fallen into water. Also describes snatching something from a person's grasp quickly and by force.
• chabhu chabhuVariant of chabwi chabwi; see that entry.
• chabvuDescribes washing clothes without soap. An orphan with no one to provide for them often washes their clothes this way.
• chabwiDescribes walking into water so that some of it splashes up into the air. Example: we reached home going chabwi chabwi through the mud left by the rain.
• chabwi chabwiThe sound of a person walking through shallow water or through puddles and mud. Example: We simply heard a chabwi chabwi as feet stepped into water, though we could not see in the dark.
• chachachaThe sound of drops of water falling on a spot that is already wet. Drizzling rain falls making this sound all night long.
• chachachaUsed of water: when it goes chachacha it is falling from a height down to the ground.
• chachamaSaid of a person who refuses to change his mind, holding that what he thinks is the truth. Example: The father-in-law stood chachama by his word that he wanted the whole bride price there and then. Compare chacharara.
• chachananaDescribes making a place at a flooded river where it is possible to cross on foot or by some other means. Compare chachananda.
• chachanandaVariant spelling of "chachanana".
• chachanuDescribes seeds that have been soaked in water all sprouting at one and the same time. Example: The grain soaked for the beer of a bira sprouted chachanu within three days. Also used of taking something out of water by dragging it out.
• chachapuDescribes snatching from someone what they are holding, quickly and with force. Compare chapu, chachapuru, bvutu.
• chacharakachaDescribes crossing a river or a stream that is full of water.
• chachararaVariant spelling of "chachama".
• chachariDescribes stamping repeatedly and forcefully on the ground, as someone dancing does. The drunkards danced to the drum stamping in this way as though they would split the house apart.
• chachavaDescribes being unable to walk. Example: a grown man went chachava, his legs seized by numbness.
• chachuDescribes cutting down dry stalks, such as cane stalks, with a hoe or with anything else one can cut with.
• chachuDescribes snatching food that is still on the fire, as a greedy person often does. "I took the meat from the pot when I saw that no one was watching me."
• chaduDescribes cutting something soft with a very sharp knife. Example: he was slicing tomatoes chadu.
• chai chaiDescribes swimming in the manner of fish in a pool.
• chaka-aDescribes pouring water over a person when they are not expecting it, so that they start from the cold.
• chaka chakaThe sound water makes when a person treads in a shallow place; also the sound of things worn as ornaments, usually on the legs, or of brass. Gourd rattles tied to the legs make this sound.
• chakachakaDescribes having the lips all smeared with fat after eating food rich in oil; also used of being soaked all over. Example: The cloths were found in the morning chakachaka with the urine the children had passed in the night. Compare tapa tapa.
• chakapitiDescribes taking hold of something and lifting it up at the same time.
• chakataUsed of things that are chakata: they are numerous and found everywhere.
• chaku chaku
• chakwa chakwaDescribes walking through shallow water or through mud. The cattle went about in the marshy places this way looking for water to drink.
• chakwata
• chambwaDescribes filling water all over the place, splashing it about.
• changinjaDescribes snatching from someone what they are holding, especially a weapon, by force.
• chanjamaDescribes being excessively high or excessively long, beyond what is fitting. Also describes refusing to do what one has been told to do.
• chanjandaraVariant spelling of "chachama".
• chanjanjaVariant spelling of "chanjama".
• chanyaVariant spelling of "chanyau".
• chanyauDescribes cutting something without first looking to see whether the place one is cutting is the right one.
• chanyuDescribes chewing something in the mouth with a slight noise.
• chapuSaid of a person who goes chapu: they have picked something up quickly.
• chapwaDescribes the rising into the air and the noise made by water when something such as a large stone has been thrown into it.
• chapwatiVariant spelling of "chapwa".
• charanjanjaVariant spelling of "chachama".
• chariDescribes passing over the top of something by leaping over it. Compare jari.
• charuVariant spelling of "chari".
• chataDescribes sleeping a sweet sleep. Example: if your ear troubles you, you cannot sleep chata.
• chatiDescribes the throwing of water up into the air by something that has been thrown into a pool.
• chavaDescribes denying what you are accused of or what you have been told to do. The murderer denied the offence before the court.
• chavanguDescribes chopping or cutting something deeply.
• chawaDescribes falling into water with such force that the water splashes up into the air.
• che che cheDescribes making a shrill, high-pitched noise, as birds or little creatures gathered together do.
• che-eDescribes spreading out a reed mat or other floor covering so that people can sit on it comfortably. Example: if you see women who have spread the mat out che-e, you know they are gossiping. Also describes cutting quickly with a very sharp knife: I cut him che-e on the cheek and left him streaming blood.
• checheDescribes things being equal to one another in size or in number. Compare gwedegwe, kweche.
• chechemaDescribes becoming confused in mind, to the point of not knowing what to do. The example ("When I heard about the cattle being stolen ...") is left unfinished.
• checheneDescribes removing something by cutting or scraping it off with a knife.
• chechengaDescribes the meeting or gathering together in one place of people who are related or who share some common undertaking. Example: At the New Year holiday the grandchildren were gathered chechenga at their grandmother's home, celebrating.
• chechepfuDescribes biting into something soft that is not hard to chew.
• checherereDescribes bringing a bicycle that was travelling very fast to a sudden stop.
• chechetereDescribes things being even and matching one another in height or length. Example: The people's heads were all level chechetere in the bus.
• checheuVariant spelling of "chechene".
• chechuDescribes remembering something important that one had forgotten.
• chedebuDescribes chopping or biting something so as to take off its skin. Also used of the opening of the genitals of a girl who has not yet slept with a man.
• chedzuDescribes the appearance of a great light for a brief moment, as flashing lightning does.
• cheeneneDescribes looking back quickly over what is behind you, with a startled manner. Also describes calling to mind something you had forgotten.
• chehenuVariant spelling of "cheenene".
• chekeThe repeated rattling of something that has been shaken so that it knocks against whatever is close to it.
• cheke chekeVariant spelling of "cheke".
• chekecheVariant spelling of "cheke".
• chekepfuDescribes biting into something soft with the teeth.
• chekucheDescribes the breaking of daylight. Example: day had gone chekuche just as we opened our eyes.
• chenaDescribes the baring of the teeth outward, as a dog does when it wants to bite another dog.
• chendaDescribes sitting down on one's buttocks, usually done by a person who has been carried on the back. Compare dzvenda.
• chenguDescribes looking at someone with a sly, deceiving eye; a person who says chengu has cast such a glance. Example: my sister-in-law gave me a chengu look with her eye when I told her I loved her.
• chenuDescribes the fading of colour on a garment or household article. Example: my shirt has gone chenu from the sun.
• chenuruVariant spelling of "chenu".
• chenyenguDescribes the skin coming away so that what lies beneath is exposed. Example: he was cut chenyengu with a razor and was left with a wound.
• chepfenyuDescribes biting off a chunk of something and leaving the rest behind.
• cherenguDescribes injuring someone or something so that a visible wound or scar is left behind.
• chesuDescribes the dryness of the mouth caused by hunger or thirst. Example: he spent the whole day with his mouth just chesu while others drank beer.
• chetu
• cheuDescribes glancing back quickly over one's shoulder. Example: I glanced back when I heard footsteps behind me.
• chevhuDescribes cutting deeply with a sharp instrument. Example: he was cut chevhu on the arm with a razor.
• chezuDescribes the kindling of a big fire. Example: as soon as they got the fire going chezu, all the pots came to the boil.
• chi chi chiDescribes a group of people all standing still and staring at one and the same thing. Example: The schoolchildren stood stock-still, staring at the cars that had collided.
• chibidiDescribes fat being excessive or abundant, whether on the body or in food.
• chichichiUsed of people: when they are said to have gone chichichi, they are standing in a crowd all looking at one thing.
• chichinuDescribes many people walking along all headed in one direction. Example: The people moved off together towards the grave to bury the deceased.
• chidigiDescribes putting far too much salt into the relish.
• chidiguUsed of something that has gone chidigu: it has died after only a short time. Compare -didinya.
• chigidiDescribes putting too much salt in the relish, or too much oil on the face. Compare puvu, chinginjingi.
• chingaUsed of birds: when birds go chinga at a place, they have all settled there in great numbers. Example: the birds went chinga in the wheat field.
• chinjinjiDescribes the way poles or other stiff things stand upright, pointing up into the sky. Compare chinjiri.
• chinjiriVariant spelling of "chinjinji".
• chinjiziri
• chiruDescribes leaping or jumping.
• chivhuDescribes cutting something deeply and quickly.
• choThe pecking done by a hen or a bird as it picks up grains with its beak. Example: the hens went cho cho at the rapoko. Compare jo.
• cho cho choThe sound of metallic things knocking against each other. Example: the boy kept making his pocket go cho cho cho so that we would know he had money. It is also used of pedalling a bicycle fast, as in a race.
• cho-oDescribes the pouring of water or the falling of rain. Example: The rain poured down all night long. Also describes ululating. Compare ririri.
• cho-o cho-oDescribes riding a bicycle gently and unhurriedly. Example: the milkman rises early and goes cho-o cho-o on his bicycle from house to house.
• chogodoDescribes knocking ashes or some other substance off something by striking or tapping it.
• chokonyoDescribes the stripping of maize grains off the cob.
• chomwaDescribes stretching or craning the neck out while walking.
• chonjomaDescribes a person squatting down, seated on the heels with the toes resting on the ground.
• chororoDescribes the trickling or streaming downwards of liquid things such as water.
• chowa chowaDescribes walking in a way that shows one does not know what one is doing or where one is going.
• chuDescribes being full to overflowing. Example: on Christmas day the church is chu with people receiving communion. Compare tu. Also describes being struck with a thin switch whose tip makes a sound: the teacher gave me chu with a switch on the legs for coming late to school.
• chubuDescribes something falling into water, whether it has been thrown in or has simply gone in by accident. Example: I fell into the water at night thinking I was stepping onto a flat rock. Compare chabwi.
• chubviDescribes soaking clothes for washing in water. Example: my clothes were put chubvi in water and I was left with nothing to wear.
• chubvuDescribes stirring the contents of a pot or pail with a cooking stick. Example: the dish was stirred chubvu chubvu until it was cooked.
• chubwiDescribes falling into water with a heavy thud, making the water splash up. Example: The huge rock fell in with a splash and the water splashed to the far edges of the pool.
• churiThe noise made by something falling into water. Example: he threw a stone into the well and it went churi.
• chuvhuDescribes milking into a vessel that is already filling up with other milk and with froth. Example: the cow gives so much milk that the milk ends up going chuvhu chuvhu day after day.
• chwabaThe rustling noise made by oversized clothing on someone who is walking. Example: Grandfather's overalls kept swishing as he weeded the maize in the field.