Verb transitive. Causative of -punuka

MEANING 1

To mill badly, grind very coarsely

Example of use

Napununa buunga, MEANING he or she has milled the flour badly

MEANING 2

To cut point-wise

Example of use

-pununa bwato MEANING, to round off the ends of a canoe

SYNONYM/SIMILAR WORD/COMPARE/CONTRAST

-kununa

MEANING 3

To put against, render unfavourable by bad talk

Example of use

1. -pununa bantu mu kulubulula, MEANING to put people against one another by one’s explanation
2. -pununo muntu, MEANING to cause a person to stumble

FIELD 4.0 OTHER RELATEDWORDS/USES/SOURCES/FUNCTIONS/USES

PASSIVE-pununwa

APPLICATIVE -punwina

FIGURATIVE SPEECH

-ipununa mu kanwa, MEANING to make a blunder or a slip of the tongue. Sometimes to talk of a thing one should conceal

PROVERBS

Proverb 1

Icikondo aciba cimo, nga taciipununa.

Literal translation

If the toe had been alone, it would not have banged itself.

meaning

Bad company leads to trouble and irresponsible behaviour. Also: It takes two to make a quarrel.

Bemba meaning

Ubwingi bulatumfya. Umuntu nga ali eka, na ishiba no kuti icingapona conse ni pa mutwe eka, pa kucite fintu kuti alecenjela. Kabili calola mukwebo muntu ukuti ulesosela mumaka ya bwingi, auba weka nga teeti utumpe ifyo. Kabili calola naku muntu uo abantu bakwe baletelela.

Proverb 2

Icishiki baipununako mu kanwa: lulimi.

Literal translation

The stumbling block in the mouth is the tongue.

meaning

Thoughtless words can easily bring a person into trouble

Bemba meaning

Nga taucenjele mu kulanda kuti wailetelela. Akanwa nimbwa: balakulika.