Nyaudzosingwi starting with NY

Figurative Expressions

• nyaDescribes sinking into soil or into water. The sun went down before we had finished digging out the manure.
• nyachaDescribes hair standing up, when a person has not combed it down so that it lies evenly flat.
• nyachara nyacharaDescribes walking while making a noise with the feet or with tins.
• nyadiUsed of the sun: when it does nyadi it has gone down.
• nyaduDescribes cutting or scratching the skin slightly; it is also used of the cutting of incision marks (nyora), after which medicine is applied.
• nyadzu
• nyakata"Nyakata" means to be soaked with water. He was rained on, and his clothes were left completely drenched. "Nyakata" also means the melting of something in hot water or in the sun.
• nyaku nyaku
• nyambu
• nyamuDescribes getting up quickly, or lifting something up quickly. The pot of meat was whipped off the fire.
• nyamwiDescribes getting up or rising quickly.
• nyanduDescribes the standing on end of a person's hair, either when it is uncombed or when one is seized by fear. Example: passing by the graves at night, one feels one's hair stand up on one's head; also used of a person starting up suddenly (apparently from lying down).
• nyandu nyanduDescribes walking hurriedly while flinging about one's arms and clothes so as to be noticed.
• nyangadu
• nyangaraDescribes the vanishing from sight of something that had been there. Example: in no time at all the clouds simply vanished from the sky.
• nyangararaUsed of hair that has not been combed or parted.
• nyangataDescribes the softening of something that had been stiff or hard. A hide is left soft after being worked with salt and water.
• nyangeDescribes sprinkling or scattering something in small amounts, as pepper, which should only be sprinkled lightly because too much makes the food hot. Also used of licking peanut butter or porridge off a baby's mouth.
• nyangi nyangiDescribes walking stealthily, on tiptoe, so as to arrive without being heard. A cat moves like this when it has spotted mice.
• nyapuDescribes striking lightly with a small thin switch. When a young child is punished, it is merely given a nyapu that does not hurt.
• nyarakataDescribes the falling apart of things that had been joined together, each coming away separately. Example: the wall of the house crumbled apart after being soaked by drizzling rain.
• nyareDescribes tying something loosely and gently, so that it is not hard to untie.
• nyareDescribes the feeling of unease or mental discomfort a person has when they have done something improper. The son-in-law felt nyare after saying something shameful in front of his mother-in-law.
• nyasaDescribes the softening of something that had been hard or stiff, or that had been fierce.
• nyauDescribes the melting of something that was hard. The margarine melted when it was put out in the sun.
• nyauDescribes the biting and tearing done by something with sharp teeth. The crocodile took a nyau at father's calf.
• nyavaDescribes the becoming gentle of something that had been obstinate or troublesome, as a beast does when it is headed off and brought under control.
• nyava nyavaDescribes walking slowly, little by little and gently.
• nyazu nyazuDescribes walking vigorously while showing off or swaggering.
• nye-eUsed of seeds in a field: when they go nye-e they have all germinated, with none failing to come up.
• nyechuDescribes breaking a small piece off a large one.
• nyenaUsed of something standing open when it ought to be kept closed. Also describes laughing pointlessly or for no reason.
• nyenuDescribes opening the mouth so that one's teeth are plainly shown.
• nyenyenyeUsed of something that does nyenyenye: it glitters or shines.
• nyenyeuDescribes biting into something and leaving a hole where the bite was taken. The child took a nyenyeu out of the guava.
• nyenyuDescribes biting off and eating small morsels. Example: the boy nibbled at a banana.
• nyenyu
• nyeveDescribes telling someone words that may be of help to them in certain matters.
• nyevenuDescribes the relief or gladness felt after hearing or seeing that the bad thing one had been dreading did not happen. Example: after the bus overturned, one felt relief on seeing that the whole family had survived.
• nyeya nyeyaUsed of children's clothes: when they are nyeya nyeya, each child has been bought his or her own.
• nyezuDescribes kindling a fire that burns fiercely. Compare nyeu, zhii.
• nyiDescribes putting something into another substance that is watery or liquid.
• nyiduVariant spelling of "nyapu".
• nyimbiri nvimhiriDescribes the dancing of people or animals when they are happy.
• nyindiDescribes finishing off all the food, or eating so much food that one becomes bloated.
• nyinuDescribes baring the teeth openly, as a dog does when it is angry.
• nyipuDescribes the collapsing or dropping down of an emaciated or sick animal or person.
• nyiri nyiriDescribes the shimmering of the sun when it is hot but mixed with haze, so that one cannot see clearly into the distance.
• nyobi nyobiDescribes the nibbling at bait that a fish does when one is angling with a hook.
• nyobvoVariant spelling of "nopfo".
• nyochiDescribes swallowing a large mouthful of sadza.
• nyodoDescribes the snapping or breaking off of a cord, or of a fruit such as a banana.
• nyodzviDescribes the sinking of something into water so that it is never seen again.
• nyofoDescribes pushing a stick into a hole so that whatever has gone in comes out. Also describes putting one's fingers into something such as cake or bread, tearing or breaking off a piece.
• nyofu nyofuDescribes eating in a manner showing that the person does not much care for the food. Compare nyobvu nyobvu.
• nyubvuVariant spelling of "nopfu".