Fi dis haatikl, mi da guh hexpagorate nof difrahn animal (mhuka) az piipl kaal dem iin chiShona langwij (ah Chivanhu). Mi nuo deh a nof a dem pon oert, an fi dat riizn, mi nuh guh rait dong di les papiula wan habrij pesin wudn nuo fram di tap a fi dem ed.

Pets​

EnglishChiShona
Cat (felis catus)Mangoi, Katsi, Kitsi or Chikiti
KittenChidharimbo
Dog (canis lupus familiaris)Imbwa (slang Bhoki)
PuppyMbwanana, Handa or Kutu
Male dogMukuno wembwa, Imbwa hono
Female dog (bitch)Imbwa hadzi
Old dogHodya
Rabbit (oryctolagus cuniculus)Shuro or Tsuro
Male rabbit (buck)Dzuramombe, Shuradanda, Hono yeshuro, Mukono weshuro or Tsuro
Female rabbit (doe)Tsuro hadzi or Nhunzvi yetsuro
A young rabbit (leveret)Nhohwa, Nhova or Mwana wetsuro

Farm animals​

EnglishChiShona
Cattle (bos taurus)Mombe, Ngombe or N'ombe
BullBhuru, Handira, Ngunzi or Hando
Bull-calfKanzombe or Chingondora
OxNzombe, Jon'osi or Dhonza
CowMhou
Barren cowMhorombe or Ramba
HeiferTsiru
Sheep (ovis aries)Hwai or Gwai
Male Sheep (ram)Hondowe or Gondobwe
Young ramHondowe
Female sheep (ewe)Nhunzvi yehwai
Young eweSheche
LambHwayana or Gwayana
Pig (sus scrofa domesticus)Nguruve, Humba, Hochi, Kuja (slang Bhazhe)
Piglet (sus domesticus)Ngurwana, Chigu, Chana chenguruve (slang Bhazhlet)
Goat (capra aegagrus hircus)Mbudzi
Male goat (billy-goat)Hotora, Gotora, Nhongo or Mbocho
Female soat (she-goat)Dimbura, Mhandaudzi or Nhunzvi yembudzi
Yung guot (kid)Mbudzana
Turkey (meleagris)Ngarukuni or Garukuni (slang Toki, Tocky)
Male turkey (tom/gobbler)Jongwe regarukuni
Female turkey (hen)Nhunzvi yegarukuni
Chicken (gallus gallus domesticus)Huku
Male chicken (rooster/cock)Jongwe
Female chicken (hen)Mhambo or Huku nhunzvi
Chicken (gallus gallus domesticus)Huku
Male chicken (rooster/cock)Jongwe
Female chicken (hen)Mhambo or Huku nhunzvi
A hen das boht fi lay eggdemTseketsa
Young chickNhiyo, Chitiyo, Hukwana or Huku nduku
Duck (anas platyrhynchos)Shambira, Dhadha or Dhakisi
Male duck (drake)Gono redhadha
Female duck (hen)Nhunzvi yedhadha
Young duck (duckling)Chana chedhadha
Horse (equus caballus)Bhiza or Hachi
Male horse (stallion)Bhiza gono or Gono rebhiza
Female horse (mare)Bhiza gadzi or Gadzi rebhiza
Young male horse (coat)Mhuru
Young female horse (filly)Jeche
Donkey (equus asinus)Dhongwi, Dhongi, Mbongoro or Mubhemhe
Young donkey (equus asinus)Dongana

Birds (shiri)​

EnglishChiShona
African blue quail (excalfactoria adansonii)Chihuta
African fish eagle (haliaeetus vocifer)Hungwe
African golden oriole (oriolus auratus)Chidzvururu
African hoopoe (pupa africana)Mhupupu
African paradise flycatcher (terpsiphone viridis)Jayaguru
African grey woodpecker (dendropicos goertae)Chiwowodza
Augur buzzard (buteo augur)Nyamudzura
Bateleur eagle (terathopius ecaudatus)Chapungu (i.e. Zimbabwean bird)
Bee-eater (meropidae)Bonganyuchi
Black-bellied bustard/Korhaan (lissotis melanogaster)Muchadya
Black-collared barbet (lybius torquatus)Chikweguru
Black coucal (centropus grillii)Murenda
Black-headed orioleGochihwo, Mutoweguru or Godowa
Black-shouldered kiteNgavi
Bustard (otididae)Gaudya
Cape bushbuck (tragelaphus sylvaticus)Dzoma
Cape crow (corvus capensis)Chikunguobaya
Cape clapper lark (mirafra apiata)Chibakobwerabwera
Cape file snake (limaformosa capensis)Mhunzamusha or Ndara
Cape starling (lamprotornis nitens)Hwidzikwidzi
Cattle egret (bubulcus ibis)Dzoran'ombe or Fudzamombe
Cinnamon-breasted bunting (emberiza tahapisi)Tindiri
Dark-capped bulbul (pycnonotus tricolor)Chigwenhure
Dove (columbidae)Njiva
Emerald-spotted wood dove (turtur chalcospilos)Mutondo
Laughing dove (spilopelia senegalensis)Mhetura or Tagurukutana
Red-eyed dove (streptopelia semitorquata)Bvukutiwa or Vhukutihwa
Ring-necked dove/cape turtle dove (streptopelia capicola)Gukutihwa
Namaqua dove (oena capensis)Dzembe, Nhondoro, Bomho or Nzembe
Tambourine dove (turtur tympanistria)Chigurawasakura or Rupinda
Domestic pigeon (columba livia domestica)Hangaiwa
Fiscal shrike (lanius collaris)Chisamaura
Young fiscal shrikeNyamutunge or Korera
Flappet lark (mirafra rufocinnamomea)Chinyamabururu
Galagos (galagidae)Gwee
Green pigeons (treron)Hwiriti
Green-winged pytilia (pytilia melba)Zazo or Njekedya
Grey lourie (corythaixoides concolor)Funye or Kuwe
Hamerkop (scopus umbretta)Gondo or Kondo
Helmeted guineafowl (numida meleagris)Hanga
Hornbill (bucerotidae)Dendera or Hoto
Jacobin cuckoo (clamator jacobinus)Haya
Kingfisher (alcedinidae)Kanyururahove
Lilac-breasted roller (coracias caudatus)Gatahwa
Lizard hawk (kaupifalco monogrammicus)Chikondomasvinyu
Long-tailed paradise whydah (vidua paradisaea)Muswewadepa
Kittlitz's plover (charadrius pecuarius)Hurekure
Martial eagle (polemaetus bellicosus)Chinyamudzura or Dorambudzi
Mopane worms (gonimbrasia belina)Madora, Masodya or Mashonja
Oxpecker (buphagus)Chidyamadari
Owl (strigiformes)Zizi
Paradise flycatcher (terpsiphone)Kateredemu
Parrot (psittaciformes)Chihwehwe
Partridges, francolins (perdicinae)Gwari
Pheasants (phasianinae)Horwe
Pied crow (corvus albus)Gunguo or Musavara
Pin-tailed whydah (vidua macroura)Tsekedzamakaya, Tsekedzamutsetse or Tsvikidzamakaya
European quail (coturnix coturnix)Chihuta
Red bishop (euplectes orix)Chikenya or Nyamafuro
Riverine birdKatewetewe
Secretary bird (sagittarius serpentarius)Hwata, Jowamuchowa or Mukwasi
Stork (ciconiidae)Dambiramurove, Mushore or Shuramurove
Swainson's spurfowl (pternistis swainsonii)Gwarimutondo
Tropical boubou (laniarius major)Chinhanga
Trumpeter hornbill (bycanistes bucinator)Gakamira
WaterbirdsGukurwizi
Wild duck or Mallard (anas platyrhynchos)Sambira or Sekwe
Yellow wagtail (motacilla flava)Kanzvidya

Wild animals (mhuka dzesango)​

EnglishChiShona
African buffalo (syncerus caffer)Nyati
African lynx (caracal caracal)Hwana
African savanna elephant (loxodonta africana)Nzou, Zhou
Young savanna elephantMhuru
African wildcat (felis lybica)Chibon'a, Chibonga, Nhiriri
African wilddog (lycaon pictus)Mhumhi or Bumbururwi
Young african wilddogHanda
Aardvark or Antbear (orycteropus afer)Gweru, Gwiribidi, Gwiba or Hwiribidi
Cape house snake (boaedon capensis)Tsvoti or Dzvoti
Baboon (papio)Bveni, Gudo, Dede, Mukanya or Mutiro
Male baboonHombiro, Mbombo or Horomba
Female baboonMboi, Chikoyo, Nzenza, Svambara, Mhandakadzi, Sheriwa or Gonyo
Young baboonRushiye, Rutwiyo, Chisamakei, Mujembwa, Shokorani or Shokorupani
Banded mongoose (mungos mungo)Dzvororo
Black mamba (dendroaspis polylepis)Mubobo, Nzayo or Rovambira
Blue duiker (philantomba monticola)Ndundu
Blue wildebeest (connochaetes taurinus)Mvumba
Boomslang (dispholidus typus)Mhangura
Camel (camelus dromedarius)Ngamera
Cape grysbok (raphicerus melanotis)Mhiti
Cape wild dog (lycaon pictus pictus)Bumhi
Cheetah (acinonyx jubatus)Dindingwe
Crocodile (crocodylinae)Garwe, Ngwena or Goko
Male crocodileGambinga
Old male crocodileHwereshanga
Young crocodileGanyamatope
Duiker (cephalophinae)Mhembwe or Mhengwe
Male duikerDimura, Dimbura
Female duikerBembwa, Sheshe, Dunzvi
Young duikerTsvana, Hwishu, Chimera or Mhembwana
Egyptian cobra (naja haje)Mhungu
Eland (taurotragus oryx)Mhofu, Shava or Nhuka
Greater kudu (tragelaphus strepsiceros)Mukwende, Nhoro or Nzirawa
Male kuduShurama
Female kuduMarumbeni or Gurukadzi
Young kuduMhuru
Green water snake (nerodia cyclopion)Mbunzvi
Hedgehog (erinaceinae)Shoni or Tyoni
Hippopotamus (hippopotamus amphibius)Mvuu
Young hippopotamusHandachibvuwa
Hook-lipped rhinoceros (diceros bicornisChipembere or Nhema
Hyena (hyaenidae)Bere
Young hyenasMagwinhi or Magondo
Giraffe (giraffa)Twiza, Swiza or Furiramudenga
Leopard (panthera pardus)Ingwe
Lichtenstein's hartebeest (alcelaphus buselaphus lichtensteinii)Hwiranondo or Nhondoshava
Lion (panthera leo)Shumba, Mhondoro or Gombwe
Lowland nyala (tragelaphus angasii)Nyara
Marsh mongoose (atilax paludinosus)Chidzvororo
Monkey (cercopithecidae)Tsoko, Soko, or Shoko
Old male monkeyHwandamakwakwa
Young monkeyShokorupani, Shokorana
Otter (lutrinae)Mbiti, Nzvidzi, Binza, Denhe or Chipu
PorcupineNgwewewe or Nungu
Puff adder (bitis arietans)Chiva
Python (pythonidae)Shato
Red rock hare (pronolagus)Guhwe
Reedbuck (redunca)Bimha or Gurukuru
Male reedbuckHote
Female reedbuckGurukadzi
Young reedbuckTsvana
Rinkhals (hemachatus haemachatus)Mbeza
Roan antelope (hippotragus equinus)Chengu or Ndunguza
Sable antelope (hippotragus niger)Mharapara or Ngwarati
Male sable antelopeHonde
Female sable antelopeGurukadzi
Young sable antelopeMhuru
Sassaby or tsessebe (damaliscus lunatus lunatus)Nhondo or Nondo
Savannah monitor (varanus exanthematicus)Gwariwasha, Gwashadombo, or Gwarikwari
Savanna vine snake (thelotornis capensis)Kangemiti, Kangamiti or Nyarufuro
Honey badger (mellivora capensis)Sere or Tsere
Side-striped jackal (canis adustus)Jakarasi
Slender mongoose or black-tipped mongoose (galerella sanguinea)Kovo, Hovo or Govo
Snouted cobra (naja annulifera)Nyamafingu or Nyamafungu
Snouted night adder (causus defilippii)Chindarumebwe
Tiger (panthera tigris)Ingwe
Tortoise (testudinidae)Kamba
Warthog (phacochoerus africanus)Njiri
Male warthogHwami
Young warthogChinjerete
Waterbuck (kobus ellipsiprymnus)Change or Dhumukwa
Water monitorBurwa or Tsamba
White rhino or Black rhinoChipembere or Fura
Zebra (equus quagga)Dhuve or Mbizi
Male zebraMukono wembizi
Female zebraGurukadzi or Njenjeta
Young zebraMhuru

N.B. any small snake in chiShona is called nzvenzvana.

Small animals and insects​

EnglishChiShona
African bullfrog (pyxicephalus adspersus)Dzetse
African pygmy mouseMukuyadenhe
African striped skink (trachylepis striata)Dvombi, Gotyo or Dvinyu
Baboon spider (harpactira gigas)Buwe
Bagworms (psychidae)Tumbare
Bat (chiroptera)Chiremwaremwa or Muremwaremwa
BeeNyuchi
Queen beeZimai renyuchi
Bed-bugs (cimex lectularius)Tsikidzi
Blesmols (bathyergidae)Dumunyu, Nhuta
Bombardier beetle (carabidae)Dundira
Bont-legged tick (amblyomma hebraeum)Dira
ButterflyBembenene, Betepesu, Furafura, Shaveshave or Shavishavi
Cane ratGonzo, Senzu, Tsenzi, or Tsenzu
Carpenter bee (xylocopa)Dzingidzi or Zingizi
Chafer beetleNdere
Crab (brachyura)Gakandye
DragonflyMukonikoni
Dung beetleNgoko, Nyamututa or Chituta
Dwarf shrewMutswiri or Muswiri
Elephant shrewMudune
Frog (anura)Chura, Dafi, Zura, Jedye or Datya
GastropodsHozhwa
Gerbil (gerbillinae)Banya
GnatUnyunyu
Grasshoppers, locusts (acrididae)Hwiza, Mbumu, Ndongwe or Mhotanomusha
Greater dwarf shrew (suncus lixus)Dzwitswitswi
Huntsman spider (sparassidae)Dzvatsvatsva
Invisible spider (drapetisca socialis)Dandemutande
LizardDzvinyu or Mukotyo
Migratory locust (locusta migratoria)Mbumu
Jerusalem cricket (stenopelmatus)Gurwe
Vespinae waspsMago Ruswa or Igo Ruswa
Millipedes (diplopoda)Zongororo
Mosquitoes (culicidae)Umhutu or Utunga
Mud dauber wasp (sceliphron caementarium)Mago Mombe or Igo Mombe
Rock dormouse (graphiurus platyops)Chisimbwindi, Chisindimbeva or Tsindimbeva
Rock hyrax (procavia capensis)Mbira
Polistinae qaspsMago Mbudzi or Igo Mbudzi
Potter waspMbuzambuza
Praying mantis (mantodea)Mbuyamuderere
Scorpion (scorpiones)Mbambarize
Segmented Worms (annelida), Brachycera Larvae, White GrubsHonye or Gonye
Springhare (pedetes capensis)Gwizo, Nhire, Gwizhu or Gwete
Southern rock agama (agama atra)Chidhambakura or Chiguyakuya
Stick insect (phasmatodea)Mhashurukuni
Striped polecat (Ictonyx striatus)Chidembo, Bvungo or Jachacha
TadpoleBuruuru or Zunguzurwa
Termite swarmerIshwa
Tick (Ixodida)Chikwekwe, Chinyamadari, Chinyamunhari, or Chishamabwe (blood-sucking tick)
Tree squirrel (paraxerus cepapi)Shindi or Tsindi
Tzetze or tsetse fly (glossina)Mhesvi
Water scorpion (nepidae)Zimai redzviva
Weevil (curculionoidea)Chipfukuto

Fish (hove)​

EnglishChiShona
BarbelMuramba, Muhono or Mhatye
Cornish jack (mormyrops anguilloides)Zambanenje
Eel (anguilliformes)Nyamatsatsi, Ngurusi, Hunga or Mukunga
Large catfishVundu
Longjaw mudsucker (gillichthys mirabilis)Mburi
Kariba tilapia (oreochromis mortimeri)Gwaya
Kariba breamGwaya
MinnowMusunde or Sinde
Mottled eel (anguilla nebulosa)Nyamatsatsi
SardineSinde
Smallmouth and Largemouth YellowfishKuyu
Tigerfish (hydrocynus vittatus)Cheni, Mucheni, Muvanga or Sheni
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