Word of the Day [23 Feb 2026]

Kota

A quarter loaf of bread hollowed out and filled with combinations of atchar, polony (Bologna), Russian sausages, slap chips, cheese, eggs, chilli sauce and more. A street food / kasi variant of the more suburban bunny chow.


I'm definitely getting myself a kota the next time I visit Gomora.

Msunu

Is a Zulu and Xhosa swear word that loosely translates to male or female genitalia or cunt.


Msunu kanyoko to whoever is disrespecting me.

Ghost Lady

Ghost Lady is the co-host of the popular South African Podcast called Podcast and Chill with MacG and Sol Phenduka. As the name suggests, she doesn't appear on camera and her real name is unknown, but she plays a major role in the running of the Podcast.


I wish I could see Ghost Lady some day.


Big Xhosa

Also known as SOS - Is a South African rapper who the current king of South African rap. He released his diss track called Ninyile that was dissing the whole SA Hip Hop industry and all these cats have been awfully quiet ever since.


Big Xhosa dissed the whole industry except Big Zulu.

Apartheid

Literally means “apartness” in Afrikaans, apartheid was the policy of racial segregation implemented by the South African National Party from 1948 to 1994, resulting in the oppression and labour exploitation of South Africa’s black majority, and their systematic exclusion from the country’s mainstream economic, educational and social life.


The struggles of black people we see today is the legacy of the apartheid regime.


Cosmetically challenged

When you are ugly as fuck.


1. He couldn't get that girl because he is cosmetically challenged.

2. She rejected him because, cosmetically, he is challenged.

Umkhonto

Umkhonto is a Nguni term or word for a spear (the weapon).


Ndicela undinike umkhonto wam.
Can you please give me my spear.


Rha

Rha
Pronounced (ggggaaah); is a Khoikhoi word for “plenty” or “enough”. Used in Xhosa as a term for “That’s enough”often in anger and sometimes in disgust hence mistaken for “ew”.


In Khoikhoi: There is a river in the Eastern Cape called Birha. Bi is milk, and rha is plenty. Hence “a place of milk”. Another use is in the Xhosa chief Gambushe’s nickname: Rharhabe meaning “Minister of Plenty”.
In Xhosa it varies:
In a Dismissal Manner
Someone: I’m going to out race you.
Me: Rha! That would be the day.
To stop a child who is hitting another child a parent could say “Stop it. Rha! That’s enough”
In a Disgusting Manner
When a child see poop usually they used to say “Rha! Poo”
When people hear, smells, or see a disgusting thing they can say “Rha!”
In an Elated Manner
A person recounting an exciting moment of thriumph can say “Rha! I out did myself”
Feeling pretty? “Rha! I’m beautiful”

Main Chick

The girl who is in a serious relationship with a guy, but that guy is casually dating other people (side chick).


I don't care what he does oksalayo I am the main chick.


Ow

Ow is a term Xhosa girls use to refer to a boyfriend.


Ngeyam i-Ow, ndingalwa ndibebomvu.

Kaaps

Kaaps or Afrikaaps is an Afrikaans dialect that is mainly spoken in the Cape Flats in Cape Town.


I thought I knew Afrikaans until I went to the Cape Flats and heard what they call Kaaps/Afrikaaps.




© 2020 Africtionary®