Expand your Bukusu language vocabulary with the following Bukusu idioms about the dog. Learn their meaning and translation.
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I grew up with a black dog named Toki. Since you know my people cannot pronounce d and g, we joyfully replace the d sound with t and g sound with k. This must have been the genesis of the name Toki. Toki was black and brown bitch that brought forth a litter of at least 4 puppies per gestation. These moments were joyous because my siblings and I each had a puppy to ourselves each time.
Recently, I got a new pup who in keeping with family tradition we’ve named Toki. It’s a playful sweetheart that’s as destructive as can be. Within a week of it becoming part of my family, Toki had made shreds of every play ball that my son threw at it to fetch. My son, not yet two, in wonder at Toki’s destructive ways once ran up to me and in the half gibberish of a toddler learning to speak excitedly speak in something that sounded like Lubukusu.
Worse, I couldn’t make out what he was saying. The harder he tried the funnier it got. This aw, moment reminded me of when I first heard of Bukusu idioms about the dog.
Bukusu idioms about the dog
Expand your Bukusu language vocabulary with the following Bukusu idioms about the dog.
Nafwao busa nga osasia kubwa!
I have died like some helping a dog give birth.
Khusasia kubwa is a tease meant to reassure of a person who has labored but lost to an undeserving party. Through this expression, one empathises with their frustration from the thankless job.
Khulia embwa
To eat a dog.
This is an aphorism for peace pact that involves cutting a dog into two.
Amurekile lwe mbwa
He has set him the trap of a dog.
A trap designed to exploit a character’s idiosyncrasies.
Embwa enjifwi, okhasuta lusala ta eli bwee
A thieving dog even before you pick up a stick it barks bwee.
This phrase is said to those who guilty screaming loudest before one lifts a finger to punish them for their sins.
Otima nga embwa emali
Run fast like a black dog.
This is used to encourage someone to run as fast as they can.
Embwa yamukhomba mubilenge
A dog licked the soles of his feet.
This Bukusu idiom is used to describe someone who never sits still. The type of people who walk from one door to the next with nothing much to do.
Asala bhusa nga embwa
She gives birth like a dog.
This is used to refer to women who get children in quick succession with little child spacing.
Alia sie embwa
He eats like a dog.
This is used to describe someone who eats with greed and gluttony lapping up food like a dog.
Aunyila sie embwa
He smelt this like a dog.
This is a phrase used to refer to someone who walks in a deal uninvited. The other members present in the deal will wonder how the person knew about the deal.
Nakanane embwa emali khu lukendo
I met a black dog on my journey.
This Bukusu idiom is used in reference to one made an unsuccessful venture.
Obaya kubwa, kubwa olia
Why would one keep a dog? Would they eat it?
This is a phrase used to tease those who feel brag about their dogs. Dog people/person we call them today.
Oung’aung’ana nga embwa muraba or omololokha oli kubwa muraba
Walking in shame like a dog in a tobacco plantation.
This phrase is used to describe those who have made mistakes and could be walking around ashamed of their actions. The offended party uses this phrase to lash out at the offender to deter them from repeating their mistake
Khupa embwa omanye mweneyo
Beat the dog to bring out its owner.
This is figure of speech is used when one is wondering why another behaves the way they do. When people are suspicious that a person’s behavior is representative of the interests of a hidden big master, the subject (dog) is beaten in order to reveal his master who may come in his subject’s defense.
Contrast this expression with the Bukusu saying ‘khutila lichabungwe esibuno‘ which warns one of the consequences of messing about with the sacred cows in an organization.
Embwa khuno yosi neyakeniya!
Does a dog go to meet and greet parties!
This Bukusu idiom is used especially when people are preparing to go for a meet up party and they want to exclude third wheels and fifth wheels that they feel may not add value to the entourage.
Akhulolakho busa oli embwa nelola khu silingi
This person looks at us the way a dog looks at a shilling coin.
This Bukusu idiom is used to describe a snob in the community. Thus other people appear to them as a shilling does to a dog. Uses this idiom to describe the snobbish nature of a given character.
Bali oroba chimoni nga embwa esecha nebona ekhasi mubandu
You’ve got the red eyes like that of a dog that has seen a bitch on heat in a crowded place.
This is figure of speech used to describe someone with a tendency to flirt have sexual relations with strangers. One uses this expression to describe the relentless but misguided focus of an individual who when in pursuit of a woman is immune to advice or words of caution from anyone.
Sikhaya wanambwa silulu
That which can defeat a dog to eat must be very bitter.
This is Bukusu idiom is commonly used to deter members of the community from engaging in certain activities that may seem futile. For example an elderly man may use this saying to caution a young man set on marrying a commercial sex worker.
Kakusisie kumukunda mukholo kakula khalime khe mbwa
He sold prime clan land and bought a small piece of land in the dungeons the size of a dog.
This is expression is particularly used to describe wayward member of the community who sold and plundered the proceeds of property; then spent whatever little was left to purchase a property of comparatively lesser value.
Oli nga embwa eyalia lukhoba
You are like a dog that swallowed its neck collar.
This Bukusu idiom simply means that you are as stubborn as a mule. A hard headed individual who carries themselves about with such self importance. You can imagine the pompous walk of a dog that has not only managed to rid itself of the restrain of a neck collar, and in the process swallowed it.
Embwa ekobolanga omuayi.
Embwa ekhasi yaula esecha
The bitch defeated the dog.
This Bukusu idiom is used when there is an agreement or settlement of an issue to be made. Two male parties involved in making decision may come to an agreement. However, later, one party may seek to renege on the agreement citing objection from his wife or girlfriend. The other party in the agreement may use this idiom to acknowledge defeat in cognizance of the power a man’s woman yield in his life.
Song’aile oli embwa enjibo?
Why have you lost weight like a nursing bitch?
This figure of speech used to describe people who appear bulimic. The Bukusu frown at slim body frames that are the epitome of western beauty standards.
Khukhwangala embwa
Picking a dog.
This Bukusu idiom is used to caution members of society to be cautious not to pick a fights when visiting friends and family; especially not when visiting your in laws.
Khukhwangala embwa emali
To pick a black dog.
To meet a misfortune.
Ngendile lwe mbwa
I walked the journey of a dog.
In Bukusu language, the etymology of the words ‘lwe embwa’ is steeped in vulgarity. In the politest terms, this Bukusu idiom used to express that your journey was not successful.
Embwa ya Wele
Dogs of God.
Of the Bukusu idioms about the dog covered here, this one features most in everyday speak as it used to refer to different species of common insects. Learn more about the meaning of embwa ya wele, and why we find this idiom to be emblematic of the richness of Bukusu language.
Learn Lubukusu
Lubukusu or Bukusu language is the tounge of Babukusu (The Bukusu) the largest house of the Luhya supra-community of Western Kenya. For a beginner’s ease in into Bukusu language our post on embwa ya wele (dogs of god) is a great starting point to appreciate the richness of the language. To get on with learning Bukusu language, stop by our post on 100+ common Bukusu words and phrases meaning, translation and pronunciation. To expand your vocabulary, make good use of our free Luhya-English dictionary and thesaurus. For intermediate speakers of Bukusu language, don’t forget to bookmark our comprehensive repository of Bukusu proverbs and sayings for they will be useful in spicing up your Lubukusu, so that you speak Lubukusu like a real Bukusu. And if your Lubukusu is already good enough, sharpen and challenge yourself with our new blog sibukusu that covers everything Bukusu in the purest Lubukusu.
