In lay terms, ideophones are words that stand out (are ‘marked’) and whose form betrays something of (is depictive of) their meaning. The following 70 ideophones (nyaudzosingwi) describe the act of breaking. I made reference to the Standard Shona Dictionary (M. Hannan, S.J.) for descriptions. I have given examples that hopefully betray the meanings of the ideophones. I should however warn you, it wasn’t an easy task hence you will have to consider my examples with caution.
Dictionary definitions are a depiction of how the words are used everyday and hence reveal the way of life of the language users. The dictionary I used was first printed in 1959. The examples given on ideophones of breaking tell stories of pottery, squashes, mealies, sweet potatoes and firewood. In my example sentences, I have in some cases tried to move away from the examples given. Hopefully a more relatable example will provide a better depiction of the word’s meaning.
| nyaudzosingwi & description | example of use in a sentence |
| 1. bedu breaking semi hard object e.g. clay pot, uncooked potato | Akatora bhisikiti ndokuriti bedu napakati. |
| 2. bedu breaking soft object e.g. cooked potato | Chioniso akati zimusuva resadza bedu, ndiye kabi. |
| 3. bhogo breaking something into pieces | Neshungu, Nehanya akanhonga zidende raiva pamberi pake ndokunoriti padziro bhogo, richibva raparara. |
| 4. bhogo breaking stalk of sugarcane | Akatora ipwa ndokuiti nebvi bhogo. |
| 5. bodo breaking with hands (soft object e.g. mushroom, cake) | Akatora mbambaira inopisa kubva mupoto ndokuiti bodo nepakati, akatanga kuifuridzira kuti ipore. |
| 6. budu breaking with hands (soft object e.g. mushroom, cake) | Akatora mbambaira kubva mupoto yainge ichangoburwa, ndokuiti budu nepakati. |
| 7. bwa breaking (dry object) | Akagumburwa achifamba, hari yaakanga akatsiga ikanoti pasi bwa. |
| 8. bwabwa breaking | Akawira pahari dzakanga dzakaturikidzana pahuva dzikanoti pasi bwabwa. |
| 9. bwabwabwa breaking (as branches of felled tree on impact) | Muti wakarohwa nemheni mapazi awo akanoti bwabwabwa achiwira pasi. |
| 10. bwadagu breaking pottery | Bhora rakasvikorova hari yaiva padara ikabva yanoti pasi bwadagu. |
| 11. bwadamu breaking pottery | Bhora rakasvikorova hari yaiva padara ikabva yanoti pasi bwadamu. |
| 12. bwadu breaking (pottery) | Zibazi remuti rakanga riri pakati pemugwagwa rakati bwadu apo rakatsikwa nemotokari. |
| 13. bwaga breaking (e.g. green stalk) | Akabata nwiwa nemaoko maviri ndokunoriti padombo bwaga. |
| 14. bwaga dashing to pieces (fragile object) | Kamwana kakatsvedza kakatakura ndiro yedhaka ikanoti pasi bwaga. |
| 15. bwagamu breaking pottery | Bhora rakasvikorova hari yaiva padara ikabva yanoti pasi bwagamu. |
| 16. bwagu breaking pottery | Bhora rakasvikorova hari yaiva padara ikabva yanoti pasi bwagu. |
| 17. bwazhamu breaking (fragile object) | Akapunza chirongo chizere mvura chikanoti pasi bwazhamu. |
| 18. bwazhu breaking (fragile object) | Akapunza chirongo chizere mvura chikanoti pasi bwazhu. |
| 19. bweshu breaking piece off (e.g. off unburnt pot) | Akati sadza bweshu kubva pazimukonde raiva rasara shure kwemabiko. |
| 20. bwodo breaking green stalk | Akanhonga tsotso ndokudziti kamwechete bwodo achibva akanda muchoto. |
| 21. bwogo breaking green stalk | Akanhonga tsotso ndokudziti kamwechete bwogo achibva akanda muchoto. |
| 22. chepfu breaking in two (e.g. rope, stick) | Akatora kanduru ndokuriti bhogo, achibva ati chitambo chepakati chepfu. |
| 23. chipfu breaking or cutting something that makes no sound | Akatora chigero ndokubata vhudzi rake akariti chipfu. |
| 24. dashu breaking in two (fibre, string) | Akaruma zinhango renyama ndokuriti nepakati dashu. |
| 25. de breaking something fragile (e.g. eggs) to remove contents | Ndakatora zai ndokuriti de pahwasha (rim) yehari, ndichabva ndakuturira zvemukati zvose muhari makare. |
| 26. du breaking something fragile (e.g. eggs) to remove contents | Ndakatora zai ndokuriti du pahwasha (rim) yehari, ndichabva ndakuturira zvemukati zvose muhari makare. |
| 27. godo breaking in two (e.g. maize cob) | Chiedza akatora godwa resipo akariti godo nepakati. |
| 28. gudu breaking in two (such things as maize cobs) | Chiedza akatora godwa resipo akariti gudu nepakati. |
| 29. gwibu breaking in two (thick sugar-cane/ piece of metal) | Akati gwibu nzimbe ndokugovera Chiedza naNduramo. |
| 30. gwipfu breaking with hands (short, dry, fairly brittle object; e.g. short stick) | Akatora chimuti ndokuchiti gwipfu nebvi. |
| 31. gwinyu breaking in two (e.g. mealie cob) | Amai vakatora chokoreti yaibvutidzanwa nevana ndokuiti gwinyu nepakati kuti vaigovanise. |
| 32. ketye breaking brittle object (e.g. stick) | Chiedza akati kamuti ketye. |
| 33. kotyo breaking brittle object (e.g. stick) | Danai akati kapazi kotyo kubva mumuti. |
| 34. kwedu breaking in two (e.g. dry stick); piece if earthenware pot; of dry object that breaks with a snap | Mudzidzisi akati chimedu chechoko kwedu achibva anyora pachokobhodhi. |
| 35. kwishu breaking in two (e.g. rope, stick); breaking in two (under pressure or strain); breaking in two (thin, dry non-metallc object) | Amai vakatora mhombwa (ball of string) yeshinda ndokuti chishinda kwishu kuti varukise vhudzi raMaria. |
| 36. madu breaking brittle object (e.g. earthenware pot) | Chiedza akati chokoreti madu ndokupa chimedu kuna Chioniso. |
| 37. madure breaking brittle object (e.g. earthenware pot) | Chionisoakati chokoreti madure ndokupa chimedu kuna Chiedza. |
| 38. mhopfo breaking (e.g. bread) | Akatora chimedu chenhanga rakabikwa ndokuchiti mhopfo. |
| 39. mhwatsau breaking large piece off object that breaks easily (e.g. cracked pot) | Akatora vise rakatsemuka ndokuriti mhwatsau. |
| 40. mhwatsu breaking large piece off object that breaks easily (e.g. cracked pot) | Akatora nwiwa rakatsemuka ndokuriti mhwatsu. |
| 41. mobvo breaking (e.g. bread) | Akati chingwa mobvo kubva parofu raakanga akabata. |
| 42. modo breaking soft object (e.g. banana) | Akati kapitsi kekeke modo. |
| 43. mopfo breaking (e.g. bread) | Akatora chimedu chenhanga rakabikwa ndokuchiti mopfo. |
| 44. mudu breaking soft object in two | Akati pitsi yekeke modo. |
| 45. nepfu breaking because soggy (e.g. mushroom) | Nyama yaaipakura yakanga yongoti nepfu nokuibvisa. |
| 46. ngotyo breaking with a snap (e.g. green stick) | Gumbo recheya rakati ngotyo Chenai ndokudonhera pasi. |
| 47. n’odo breaking thin soft object (e.g. banana) | Akatora katsima kechinamo ndokuti kapitsi n’odo kuti anamise bepa rake padziro. |
| 48. n’udu breaking soft object (e.g. banana) | Akatora katsima kechinamo ndokuti kapitsi n’udu kuti anamise bepa rake padziro. |
| 49. pabu breaking with a snap (dry, non-metallic object) | Akatora goko (pod) romusasa ndokuriti padu. |
| 50. papfu snapping in two; breaking (e.g. bread); breaking easily (soggy object ; e.g. mushroom); breaking easily (short, brittle object) | Akati chingwa papfu kubva parofu raakanga akabata. |
| 51. pfugumu breaking piece off a dry, powdery object (generally by knocking; the piece broken off is reduced to powder) | Kachuru kakatemwa nebadza ndokubva kati pfugumu. |
| 52. pfungumu breaking piece off a dry, powdery object (generally by knocking; the piece broken off is reduced to powder) | Akatsika danda rakanga radyiwa nemuchenje rikabva rati pfungumu. |
| 53. pipfu breaking in two (dry stick; biltong) | Akatora nzungu ndokuti deko (shell) pipfu. |
| 54. pogo breaking in two (e.g. dry stalk) | Akatora karotsi ndokuiti napakati pogo. |
| 55. potyo breaking (e.g. green stalk) | Akapinda mugadheni ndokuti muriwo potyo, potyo. |
| 56. pudu breaking (semi-hard object; e.g. raw potato) | Akatora godwa resipo nyoro ndokuriti pudu nepakati. |
| 57. pupfu breaking (soft object; e.g. cooked sweet potato) | Akadzvanya pichisi rikati pupfu. |
| 58. pwa Breaking (especially dry wood) | Bhotoro rakanoti pasi pwa. |
| 59. pwadu breaking piece off (brittle object e.g. calabash) | Akatora goko (pod) romusasa ndokuriti pwadu. |
| 60. pwaka smashing (dropped fragile object, e.g. egg) | Ndiro yedhaka yakanoti pasi pwaka. |
| 61. pwapwapwa breaking (especially dry twigs when walked on) | Akatsika chiringiro chikabva changoti pwapwapwa. |
| 62. pweshu breaking piece off (e.g. unburnt pottery) | Akati sadza pweshu kubva pazimukonde raiva rasara shure kwemabiko. |
| 63. rugudu break off and fall | Muti wakarohwa nemheni zibazi rikati rugudu. |
| 64. tekenu breaking up (hard ground, floor of house); chipping (e.g. enamel plate) | Ndiro yakarovera pasi ndiyo tekenu. |
| 65. tidigu breaking up hard ground , digging deeply | Akatora piki ndokunoti pasi tidigu. |
| 66. tye breaking brittle object | Tipei akapfipfinyika zvaakaona Taizivei atora spaghetti ndokuiti nepakati tye asati aiisa mupoto. |
| 67. tyo breaking brittle object | Chiedza akapfipfinyika zvaakaona Taizivei atora spaghetti ndokuiti nepakati tyo asati aiisa mupoto. |
| 68. tyodo breaking (e.g. green stick) | Gumbo recheya rakati tyodo Chenai ndokudonhera pasi. |
| 69. tyotyotyo breaking (as branches of felled tree on impact) | Tsotso dzakatsikwa ndokuti tyotyotyo. |
| 70. vhonyo breaking | Akapedza kunwa mvura ndokuti kachigubhu vhonyo. |
| 71. vhuni breaking (stick, arm, etc) | Akapunzika gumbo ndokuti vhuni. |
| 72. warara breaking and scattering | Akati chingwa warara. |
| 73. zvau breaking and pulling off | Mbudzi yakanga yakasungirirwa pamuti yakati tambo zvau. |
I should say coming up with example sentences was pretty challenging in some cases. Some words became pretty confusing when they were used differently. For example, I noticed cases where the same word was used for breaking both a dry and soft object. However, I really hope this article was of some help.
The examples used in this article are based on my understanding of the ideophones and are given in no professional or expert capacity. For the descriptions, reference was made to Hannan S.J, Standard Shona Dictionary (Revised Edition, College Press).