mbembe

Kikuyu

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ᵐbɛ̀.ᵐbɛ́ꜜ/

As for Tonal Class, Armstrong (1940) classifies this term into mbori class which includes mbũri, ikinya (pl. makinya), itimũ, kĩhaato, maguta, mũgeka, mũrata, nyaga, ũhoro, riitho, riũa, rũrĩmĩ, Kamau (“man's name”), etc. Benson (1964) classifies this term into Class 3 with a disyllabic stem, together with kĩhaato, kiugo, and so on.

• (Kiambu)

• (Limuru) As for Tonal Class, Yukawa (1981) classifies this term into a group including bũrũri (pl. mabũrũri), ikara, ikinya, itimũ, kanitha (pl. makanitha), kiugo, kĩhaato, maguta, mũgeka, mũkonyo, mũrata, mwana, mbũri, nyaga, riitho, riũa, rũrĩmĩ (pl. nĩmĩ), ũhoro (pl. mohoro), and so on.

Noun

mbembe class 9/10 (plural mbembe)

1. maize, corn (Zea mays)

Meronyms

• mũcakwe

Related terms

(Nouns)

• mabeebe class 6
• mũbeebe class 3

References

• “mbembe” in Benson, T.G. (1964). Kikuyu-English dictionary. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

Further reading

• Kikuyu People: Traditional Foods (retrieved 7th January 2016)