Food and Dining vocabulary: Luchazi to English

Vocabulary for food and dining: Luchazi to English

In the sections below you will learn lots of words about the types of foods in Luchazi language.

General Food and Dining Terms

1. Cisati – Stalk.
2. Civalavala – Slice or piece (e.g., civalavala ca mbolo – a slice of bread).
3. Civotsi – Soft; tender.
4. Cuku – Steam; vaporized scent.
5. Huvila – To gulp or suck up.
6. Katende – Stink or stench.
7. Ku fueta cihele – A traditional payment (usually a chicken) made by a young man before he is permitted to eat from the same utensils as elders in the ndzango.
8. Ku ivua ndzala – To be hungry.
9. Ku liua – Eaten away.
10. Ku-lembuluka – Sweetness.
11. Ku lisuka – To eat relish plain (without porridge).
12. Ku samuka – To be tasteless.
13. Ku susunia – To suck up dripping soup or gravy from a piece of meat.
14. Ku-tovala – To be tasty.
15. Ku-tsita – Putrid.
16. Ku-tsiha ndzala – To satisfy hunger or fill the appetite.
17. Kukunia – To hold hard food in the mouth to suck on it or let it dissolve.
18. Kutsa cizava – To feel hungry.
19. Kutsa mpuila – To feel thirsty.
20. Lia – Eat.
21. Liasa (or Ku liasa) – To lick.
22. Liaula – Dined (past tense).
23. Liaule – To dine.
24. Likumbu – A mound of civundu (thick porridge).
25. Lisa – To feed.
26. Liua – Eaten; devoured.
27. Lizimba – Odour; scent.
28. Lizumbu – A feast or banquet, especially one given by in-laws.
29. Makela – To test or taste food before serving.
30. Mavuilo – Taste buds; palate; the sense of taste.
31. Mbuitika – To dip.
32. Mina – To swallow.
33. Mbolokota – To crunch.
34. Mpindi – A piece or portion (e.g., mpindi ya ntsitu – a piece of meat).
35. Mpuila – Thirsty.
36. Muhuehue – Famine.
37. Musati – Sugarcane.
38. Museza – Leftovers; remnants of civundu from a previous meal.
39. Musondzo – Juice.
40. Musozi – Soup.
41. Musuni – Steak; a thick, high-quality piece of meat.
42. Ndzala – Hunger.
43. Ngaso – Victuals; food supplies.
44. Nika (or Ku nika) – To smell; to be smelly.
45. Njuta – To nibble or crumble.
46. Nkama – A fist-sized lump (e.g., nkama ya civundu).
47. Nkatu – To eat thick meal porridge without any gravy, soup, or stew.
48. Nua (or Kunua) – To drink.
49. Polokota – To scrunch.
50. Sangununa – To liquefy by heat; to melt.
51. Saniona – To grate or tear into pieces.
52. Savula – To grab a gob or lump of civundu.
53. Sentsa – To pour liquid through a sieve or filter.
54. Sentsenia – To gnaw; to bite/chew persistently with small motions.
55. Suma – To bite.
56. Sungila – To beg for food or eat meals at others' homes.
57. Susunia – To suck up dripping soup or gravy from meat.
58. Takinia – To chew; to masticate.
59. Tanta – To dunk.
60. Tontuese – To make cool.
61. Tova – To season; spice, salt, or flavor.
62. Via-ku-lia – Food.
63. Vihavuhavu – Crumbs; morsels.
64. Visaniu-visaniu – Pieces.
65. Vitika – Dough.
66. Vueko – Aroma.
67. Vulanduke – Famine-stricken.
68. Vunkatu – Plain civundu.
69. Vusamu – Unsalted; tasteless.
70. Vutovale – Savoury; tasty; attractive to the sense of taste.
71. Vuuiui – Crumbs.
72. Zekula – To spit.

Luchazi proverb: "Kankovongo ku ku lima; ku ku-lia, ngongo sinuna" (He is slow and lazy in plowing, but when it comes to eating he surpasses the hard worker).

Vulanguluisi: Vantu vamosi va lihola malambi omo kuli vipanga vunoni omo via-ku-lia vi nahi va lia via vingi mu ku pulakana vaze va na fuitangana.

Ku Hetesa: Vilenda vatsa ha kulia.

Cooking Vocabulary: Luchazi to English

1. Ciko – Cooking stick (used for stirring).
2. Ciseya cove ca ku tikila – Your bowl for kneading.
3. Hia – Cooked; ready for consumption.
4. Hika – To stir-cook (specifically used for thick meal porridge over heat).
5. Kanga – To fry; to cook food in hot oil or fat.
6. Ku hika civundu – To cook thick meal porridge (civundu).
7. Ku kanga mayaki – To fry eggs.
8. Ku-kucuanga – To churn; to move liquid about vigorously.
9. Ku-kucuangeya – Churning.
10. Ku pala (or Pala) – To peel; remove fish scales.
11. Ku teleka vifo – To cook relish (vifo).
12. Ku tika (or Tika) – To knead (e.g., dough).
13. Oca – To roast.
14. Potomona – To pour out or decant a thick liquid.
15. Seta – To boil.
16. Setesa – To cause to boil.
17. Singa – To stir.
18. Situla – To take out of the fire.
19. Sontsa – To filter into droplets.
20. Sontsesele – To cause to filter into droplets.
21. Teleka – To cook; to prepare food for eating.
22. Telula – To remove a pot from the cooking fire or stove.
23. Tungika – To smoke meat or fish.
24. Tuntula – To serve from a pot into a plate (specifically for civundu).
25. Tuvula – To strip off.
26. Uvulula – To peel off.
27. Viakulia vi ni hi – The food is cooked; "food is ready."

Luchazi proverb: "Civundu ci li na muhikila; mu-vela-ndzala, haa lilako" (Thick porridge has its cook; he who suffers hunger eats of it).

Vulanguluisi: Umosi ue ku viukisa via-ku-lia vunoni vose va ka lilako va ka vezika.

Ku Hetesa: Ca tu pande ku hana vize vi tu na vezika linga tu vezikise veka.

Cooking ingredients: Luchazi to English

1. Cimbaluila – Yeast.
2. Ku lumba – To season; to add flavor to food using herbs, spices, or savory ingredients.
3. Liyaki – Egg; Mayaki (plural).
4. Mavele – Milk.
5. Mazi – Oil; fat.
6. Mazi a ku telekesa – Cooking oil.
7. Mazi a ngulu – Lard.
8. Milava – Roots used for brewing a non-alcoholic beverage made from meal flour.
9. Mizi ya muvulia – Roots used in the fermentation of honey beer.
10. Mpapi – Hydromel (honey water).
11. Mukele (or Mutengi) – Soda.
12. Muongua – Salt.
13. Ndumbo – Spices.
14. Nkamba – Roots used for brewing vimbuku beer.
15. Tuzi tua cindele – Sugar (Literal translation: "faeces of the white man").
16. Vindangele – Vinegar.
17. Vuci – Honey.
18. Vunga – Flour.
19. Zindungu – Chili peppers.
20. Zindungu zia kahombo – Scotch bonnet chili peppers.

Cooking ingredients in Luchazi 

Vegetables and tubers vocabulary: Luchazi to English

A vegetable refers to part of a plant that can be cooked and eaten with a main course.

1. Lentilia (loanword) – Lentils; peas.
2. Likunde – A bean or edible kidney-shaped seed; Makunde (plural).
3. Muloho – Vegetables (term used mainly in Zambia).
4. Muandza – Cassava.
5. Musambe – Sweet potatoes.
6. Mutete – Roselle.
7. Ntsompo – Cassava leaves; vegetables.
8. Polu (or Vipolu) – Leek or leeks.
9. Sapola (or Visapola) – Onion or onions.
10. Sompa – The act of pounding leaves using a mortar and pestle.
11. Tulumingo – Garlic.
12. Tuvanja – Sweet potatoes.
13. Vipoke – Pea beans.
14. Vuihua – Mushrooms. (Common varieties include: vumbalambindzi, tete, kambandze, vulialuku, vuvanda mbambi, and vusua).
15. Vukola vua ntamba – Yams.
16. Vukola vua ntsoni – Yams.
17. Zindzilo – Eggplants.

Common vegetables and tubers in Luchazi language

Luchazi proverb:

"Ku ngangamena ca mutete ca kala ku matindi" (The tartness in the roselle is in its red calyces).

Fruits and Melons Vocabulary: Luchazi to English

General Terms, Melons, and Cultivated Fruits

1. Cihia – The outer skin of a fruit.
2. Cimamau – Pawpaw (Papaya).
3. Cimbakasizi – Pineapple.
4. Cipapa – The outer skin of a fruit.
5. Kahombo – Scotch bonnet chili pepper.
6. Kanike uasina – African bird’s eye chili pepper.
7. Lihapua – Watermelon. Mahapua (plural).
8. Limputu – pumpkin. Mamputu (plural).
9. Litiva – edible gourd. Mativa (plural).
10. Litanda (or Melau) – Melon; (Matanda or Vimelau plural).
11. Litanda lia kambiambia – Winter melon (Cucumis melo); Matanda a kambiambia (plural).
12. Masela – Apples.
13. Mbakate – Avocado.
14. Mihako – Fruits.
15. Ndungu – Chili pepper; Zindungu (plural).
16. Pepinusi – Cucumber; Vipepinusi (plural).
17. Vitende – Horned melons.

Basic fruits in Luchazi language

Common Indigenous Fruits

1. Mahuvi
2. Makolo – Monkey orange (Strychnos spinosa).
3. Makolongondzo
4. Malolo
5. Mantikala
6. Zimbungo
7. Zimpundia
8. Zimpungo
9. Zindzele
10. Zindzongolo
11. Zinjindu
12. Zintsakala
13. Zintsala
14. Zintsombo
15. Zintsole
16. Zintsivi

Grains, beans and nuts vocabulary: Luchazi to English

Grains, Legumes, and Flours

1. Likunde – A bean or edible kidney-shaped seed; Makunde (plural).
2. Lipungu (or Pungu) – Multi-colored heirloom corn.
3. Masa – Sorghum.
4. Masangu – Bulrush millet.
5. Mundele – Maize.
6. Seke – Bulrush millet flour specifically used in the kukombeleya ritual.
7. Sevanda – Barley.
8. Tiliku – Wheat.
9. Valuku – Finger millet.
10. Vielu via kaseke – Bambara ground-beans (Vigna subterranea).
11. Vielu via ndongo (loanword) – Groundnuts.
12. Vielu via ntsoke – Groundnuts.
13. Vunga – Flour; a powder made by grinding grains.
14. Vunga vua ku his satu – Fine flour.
15. Vunga vua masa – Sorghum flour.
16. Vunga vua masangu – Bulrush millet flour.
17. Vunga vua muandza – Cassava flour.

Grains and nuts in Luchazi 

Food items

Grains like maize, millet, sorghum and wheat are pounded into a powder called flour which is then used to make foods like:

1. Civundu – A very thick meal porridge.
2. Civundu ca kutongela – Thickened meal porridge made from a mixture of maize and cassava flour.
3. Civundu ca masangu – Thick meal porridge made from millet flour.
4. Civundu ca muandza – Thick meal porridge made from cassava flour.
5. Civundu ca museza – Leftover meal porridge.
6. Mbolo – Bread.
7. Mbolo ya ku zela cimbaluila – Unleavened bread (made without yeast).
8. Sopa – Pottage.
9. Tumbolo tua ku totoka – Biscuits; wafers.

Foodstuffs in Luchazi 

Luchazi proverb: Vunga vua mbala; imba vuange nga nji na hika-ho luvali (The flour belongs to someone else, but if it had been mine I would have stir-cooked thick porridge twice).

Vulanguluisi: Livenia vunga na pangesa vunga vua kele navuo mu ku hika lumo lika vunoni nga vunga vuaco vua puile vuange nga tu na ka hasele ku hika luvali.

Ku Hetesa: Ku viuma vimo ka tuesi na mpoko vunoni ku viuma vietu tu hasa ku panga na vunkondi.

Processing and Preparation (Action Words)

1. Ku lola (or Lola) – To grind or crush something into tiny pieces.
2. Ku sala (or Sala) – To sieve.
3. Kutua (or Tua) – To pound (usually in a mortar).
4. Vuhole – Bran; the outer layer of cereal grains like maize, wheat, or rice.

Luchazi proverb: "Cihembe ca kokama; kanike a ci tulikila museza." (The field of cassava is dried up and the child is hoarding the leftovers of food).

Vulanguluisi: Ha ntsimbu ya cilela omo lihia lia muandza li sangumuka kuma via-ku-lia vi sangumuka ku keha. Mukemo cipue kanike a hasa ku kovela mu cilika ca vunkondi.

Ku Hetesa: Himpuka mukua vunkondi ha ntsimbu ya ku tonguenia.

Meat vocabulary: Luchazi to English

Preparation, Processing, and Places

1. Citsihilo ca vimuna – Abattoir; slaughterhouse.
2. Funiuna – To cleave.
3. Hangula – To split; to open and divide the body of an animal.
4. Hondolola – To wring off or break an animal's neck by twisting.
5. Ku papula (or Papula) – To butcher.
6. Ku salieka zimpindi zia ntsitu ha tuhia – To orderly lay pieces of meat over a fire.
7. Ku suta (or Suta) – The process of removing feathers, typically by scalding and plucking.
8. Ku tetanga mu zimpindi – To cut into pieces.
9. Ku tungika (or Tungika) – The process of smoking meat or fish.
10. Ku-umeka – To sun-dry meat.
11. Ku va – To skin a slaughtered animal.
12. Ku vavula (or Vavula) – To singe; to burn the surface of meat over a fire.
13. Teta – To cut.
14. Vitanda via ntsitu – Shambles; butcheries.

Types of meat in Luchazi language

Types of Meat and Animal Parts

1. Cipunga – Cannon bone.
2. Cipunga ca ngulu – Trotter (pig's foot).
3. Ntsitu – Meat; general term for animal or bird flesh.
4. Ntsitu ya mbambi – Duiker meat.
5. Ntsitu ya cihengi – Warthog meat.
6. Ntsitu ya ciningi – Porcupine meat.
7. Ntsitu ya combo – Bush pig meat.
8. Ntsitu ya kalumba – Rabbit meat.
9. Ntsitu ya katali – Dog meat.
10. Ntsitu ya ku saniona (or Ntsitu ya vusanio) – Mincemeat.
11. Ntsitu ya ku tungika – Smoked meat.
12. Ntsitu ya ku uma – Dry meat.
13. Ntsitu ya linoka – Snake meat.
14. Ntsitu ya mpakasa – Buffalo meat.
15. Ntsitu ya mpanga – Mutton.
16. Ntsitu ya mpembe – Goat meat.
17. Ntsitu ya mu musenge – Game meat; bush meat.
18. Ntsitu ya ngolo – Zebra meat.
19. Ntsitu ya ngombe – Beef (from a cow, bull, or ox).
20. Ntsitu ya ngulu – Pork.
21. Ntsitu ya ntiengu – Roan antelope meat.
22. Via muzimo – Tripe; offal; internal organs eaten as food.
23. Vufuati – Refuse; inedible parts.

Meat types in Lucazi language

Luchazi proverb: Mu ku lila katali, u mu muena ha ku vavula (In mourning your dog, you will see him when he is being scorched).

Vulanguluisi: Ciyambi a hasa ku lilila katali keni, vunoni hanga ciyambi ka zimbalesele viose muomu hanga a ka hasa ku mu lia omo na mu vavula.

Ku Hetesa: Ha ku lilila vize vi tu na zimbalesa hamosi tu ka uanaho civezikiso.

Poultry vocabulary: Luchazi to English

Poultry and Meat Types

1. Kasumbi – Chicken.
2. Lipato – Duck.
3. Livemba – Pigeon.
4. Nkanga – Guineafowl.
5. Nkumbua (or Niamalanda) – Ostrich.
6. Ntento – Quail.
7. Ntsintsi – Goose.
8. Kasumbi ua ku tungika – Smoked chicken.
9. Ntsitu ya kasumbi – Chicken meat.
10. Ntsitu ya kasumbi ya ku tungika – Smoked chicken meat.
11. Ntsitu ya lipato – Duck meat.
12. Ntsitu ya livemba – Pigeon meat.
13. Ntsitu ya nkanga – Guinea fowl meat.
14. Ntsitu ya nkumbua (or Niamalanda) – Ostrich meat.
15. Ntsitu ya ntento – Quail meat.
16. Ntsitu ya ntsintsi – Goose meat.

Types of poultry food in Lucazi language

Eggs and Related Terms

1. Ku tota – To hatch.
2. Ku-umba – To lay eggs.
3. Liyaki – Egg; Mayaki (plural).
4. Luivaluiva lua liyaki – Egg white.
5. Mayaki a kasumbi – Chicken eggs.
6. Mayaki a lipato – Duck eggs.
7. Mayaki a nkumbua (or Niamalanda) – Ostrich eggs.
8. Mayaki a ntento – Quail eggs.
9. Mayaki a ntsintsi – Goose eggs.
10. Ntsinda – Egg yolk.
11. Vutamena – To sit on eggs (brood) for hatching.

Habitats and Structures

1. Camba – Chicken run or pen.
2. Lifundunguino – Nest.
3. Lisua – Nest.

Types of eggs in Lucazi language

Luchazi proverb: Na kuta i ve ku vueza (The person who is satiated is the one they give more and more).

Vulanguluisi: Muntu uze ua vezika via vingi a soloka ngue hanga vivezikiso vi li na ku mu uila.

Ku Hetesa: Uze na piti laza hanga a vezika vikuavo via ku hakelako.

Fish vocabulary: Luchazi to English

General Fish Terms and Anatomy

1. Cilele – Tail fin.
2. Intsi – Fish; Vantsi (plural).
3. Makenge – Fins.
4. Mavanda – Scales.
5. Mazaza – Gills.

Types of Prepared Fish

1. Intsi ua ku kanga – Fried fish; Vantsi va ku kanga (plural).
2. Intsi ua ku-oca – Roasted or grilled fish; Vantsi va ku-oca (plural).
3. Intsi ua ku teleka – Boiled fish; Vantsi va ku teleka (plural).
4. Intsi ua ku tungika – Smoked fish; Vantsi va ku tungika (plural).
5. Intsi ua ku-uma – Dried fish; Vantsi va ku-uma (plural).
6. Intsi ua ku-uma ua kanga – Fried dry fish; Vantsi va ku-uma va ku kanga (plural).

Types of fish food in Luchazi language

Dairy food vocabulary in Luchazi to English

Dairy food include milk, and all the food made from milk.

1. Manteka = butter/coagulated milk.
2. Keju = cheese.
3. Mavele or mavisi = milk.

Luchazi proverb: lya i va mbilile muongua mu kanua, amba a zekule?(Who, in whose mouth they throw salt, will spit it out?)

Vulanguluisi: Laza mongua ua kele na seho ya kama kaha nga va na ku hana mongua u na vezika mua kama. Mukemo na umo uahi ua hasele ku viana vuana vua mongua.

Ku Hetesa: Cuma ca seho ka ve ku ci viana.

Types of honey and related terms in Luchazi

1. Vuci vua muenga = pure honey.
2. Cisila = honeycomb.
3. Vuci vua mpuka = honey made by bees.
4. Vuci vua mase
5. Vuci vua mala
6. Vuci vua malianda
7. Vuci vua matambi = honey made by ground bees. This is nectar stored in ground by the ground bees.
8. Vuci vua tu-mbulumbulu = honey made by a tiny black bee.

Idiomatic expressions in Luchazi

Ku pindisa lizimo = to have a meal; meal time.

Luchazi eating etiquette

Luchazi eating etiquette are a set of behavioural guidelines that are considered socially acceptable when eating a meal with other people. The guidelines can vary from one community to another. Here is a list of common guidelines:

1. In Luchazi traditional society, men and women do not eat their meals together. Men and boys eat their meals communally in the Ndzango which is a thatched structure situated in the centre of the village. Women and girls eat their meals in their respective kitchens.
2. The Luchazi people have strict timings for eating main meals; traditionally supper is served between 17 and 18 hours. After sunset, no meals are consumed in the ndzango. In the past, the Luchazi believed that eating main meals after sunset attracted evil spirits and witches to eat with them.  evening meals must be consumed before sunset.
3. Luchazi people use their hands for eating. Always wash your hands before eating.
4. Follow the order of washing hands which starts with an older person present and last the youngest.
5. Follow the sequence of setting or serving food which is a basin containing water, plates containing relish and lastly the plate containing civundu.
6. Wait for the older person present to start the ball rolling. Only the older person is allowed to use a side plate, the rest of the team dunks from the same plates for relish.
7. Use the right hand to eat and avoid licking your fingers. Any food that falls to the ground while eating is said to be for the ancestors.
8. Receive food items with both hands and always pass using the right hand.
9. Avoid talking with food inside your mouth and chew with your mouth closed.
10. Mealtimes are social occasions. Engage and participate meaningfully in the conversation. Avoid emotional topics.
11. Do not forget to feed the dogs. The dog is valued in a number of ways in Luchazi culture.
12. Do not leave the eating place when finished. Wait for others and follow the same order of washing hands after eating.