kuchana

How to say it

Meaning

To tear or rip something such as paper or cloth. With nywele it means to comb the hair, and in Tanzanian music slang kuchana mistari is to rap.

Good to know

Kuchana karatasi, to tear paper; kuchana nywele, to comb the hair. Kuchana mbuga means to run off, to flee. The reciprocal kuchaniana is to tear each other’s clothes.

Examples

• Mtoto alichana kitabu chake cha hadithi.The child tore his storybook.
• Kila asubuhi huchana nywele kabla ya kwenda shule.Every morning she combs her hair before going to school.
• Usichane barua hiyo, ina taarifa muhimu.Do not tear up that letter, it has important information.

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