Word of the Day [09 Feb 2026]

Tsari

Home... place of residence


ek is nog by die tsari

Touba

Holy city of Mouride Sufism with the Great Mosque of Touba.


Touba's Grand Magal pilgrimage attracts over 2 million visitors annually.

Izinyanya

Izinyanya is a Xhosa term for ancestors.


Ndiyabulela kuni zinyanya.


Shithole

A slang in Cameroon which mean ass or buttocks


Bakossi girls them over get big shithole

Ityala

In Xhosa, ityala can mean multiple things.
1. Ityala can mean debt.
2. Ityala can mean a case (court).
So it all depends on the context.


1. Ityala lam lakwa FNB yi R20 000.
(My FNB debt is R20 000).
2. Ityala lam licinyiwe namhlanje.
(My case was dropped today).


Sabhongo

Isabhongo is a Xhosa term for that smelly burp, especially after you mix amasi and meat.


What’s that smell? 🤢

Ungodly isabhongo usisi wakho.

East Rand

The East Rand is a major urban area located in the Gauteng province of South Africa. It includes the towns of Bedfordview, Benoni, Boksburg, Brakpan, Edenvale, Germiston, Kempton Park, Linksfield and Modderfontein.


I grew up in the East Rand.


Njibhabha

Injibhabha is a Xhosa term that is mostly used by women to refer to loss of hair (in women) on the side of the hair. Or just woman becoming bald.


Yho seyonjibhabha kusisi wakho

umshologu

properly used to mean a “spirit” from
u -> the
m -> child of, person of, thing of
Shulgi -> an ancient Sumerian king who deified him just like Jesus and so people were said to perform wonders “In the name of Shulgi”.


On seeing a ghost: I saw umshologu.
On seeing a magic performance: He’s using umshologu.
A church was in the old days called: The House of umshologu
On someone who loves to go to church: He’s the ash of the house of umshologu. (you can modernize the expression by using “furniture” instead of “ash”)


Hierso

Hierso is a South African slang term that means "Here", "Right here". It is taken from the Afrikaans language.


"I'll be hierso goseng, wa nkolota" - Khuli Chana in No More Hunger

Soweto

The biggest township in South Africa which is located in the Gauteng province.


I am from the dusty streets of Soweto.




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