uchungu - Wiktionary, the free dictionary (original) (raw)

Swahili

[edit]

Etymology

[edit]

Inherited from Proto-Sabaki *wucungu, from Common Bantu *bʊ̀cʊ́ngʊ́. By surface analysis, u- +‎ -chungu.

In Sabaki, cognate with Ndzwani Comorian utsungu (“juice of orange peel”) and Giryama utsungu (“poison”). Other Bantu cognates include Zulu ubuhlungu and Kabwa obhusungu.

Pronunciation

[edit]

Noun

[edit]

uchungu class XI (no plural)

  1. bitterness
  2. pain, sadness