chang'aa

How to say it

Meaning

A strong spirit distilled at home from maize, millet or sugar and sold cheaply, for many years illegally, in Kenya; in Tanzania the same drink is called gongo.

Good to know

N class noun with no plural, mainly Kenyan. Pombe ya kienyeji is local brew in general; gongo is the Tanzanian name of this drink.

Examples

• Polisi walimwaga mapipa ya chang'aa kijijini.The police poured out barrels of chang'aa in the village.
• Chang'aa imeharibu afya ya vijana wengi.Chang'aa has ruined the health of many young people.
• Wabunge walijadili kama chang'aa ihalalishwe.Members of parliament debated whether chang'aa should be legalized.

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