Noun

Singular: ulukwa

Plural: inkwa

MEANING 1

Bark of the tree

Example of use

Balikombola inkwa sha kupangila ifyakufwala, Meaning: They prepared tree barks for clothe making.

SYNONYM/SIMILAR WORD/COMPARE/CONTRAST

Filundu, umukwa

OTHER RELATED WORDS/USES/SOURCES/FUNCTIONS

Nil

FIGURATIVE SPECH/IDIOMS/PHRASES/COLLOQUAL USE/EXPRESSIONS

Nil 

PROVERBS

PROVERBS

 

PROVERB 1

Apo ulala, palale nkwa.

Literal translation

Where you sleep, the ‘nkwa’ (bark for barkcloth) also sleeps.

Meaning

Good hospitality demands that you give your own hut (‘palale nkwa: whereyou store your bark cloth) to a travelling stranger)

Bemba Meaning

Apo wikala ne fipe fyobe niapo pene fili nokuba. Ico ufwaya bakucitileeco nobe ucitile abanobe. Umucishacinani tawawama nakubo ushaishiba.

PROVERB 2

Kumusumba takwabikilwa nkwa.

Literal translation

In the chief's village onedoes not soak bark for making cloth.

Meaning

You are never sure how longyou will stay. Don't plan to do a job of your own if you have to go to work forsomeone more important, your own job may never be finished

 

Bemba Meaning

Nga waya pa bulendo ubutaliubo ushingashininkisha ilyo ukabwela, uli nokusha wapwa utumilimo tumo utufwiletwashala twaonaika, epali taubwelele bwangu, pantu kuba nokulindikwa.

Similar proverb

Mushika wa mfumu, tashika wakwe.

 

 

PROVERB 3

Mukunku wipapa nkwa:neshili kwifwe niwe twabikile.

Literal translation

Anvils don’t gape at thebark, and those in the water we are also soaking for you.

Bemba Meaning

Kosafye mune. Nashimbi(nkwa) tukayayaabula kumumana mailo ukese mukusala, pantu niwe mufushitwashukila. Aubula iwe nga natusapula nganshi. E kutiila panonse pabafyeinshiku shibili, bumo bwabulanda elyo bumbi nabo bwansansa. Kanshi ubeuwashipa, amacushi yonse ayali kuntanshi niwe yalelolela yena tayabutukwa iyokanofye nga wafwa ninshi lyena walubuka ku macushi yonse.