Common Shona Names
Here you will find common names of animals, birds, fish and reptiles in Shona language. The English-Shona page has a more comprehensive listing of names and includes names in different Shona dialects. Just like plants, some animals are only found in certain regions of Zimbabwe and names of those animals reflect the Shona dialects spoken in those regions. Click this Abbreviations link to view the meanings of abbreviations used.

cow - mhou KZ; n'ombe hadzi M
heifer - katsiru M; mhorombe KZ
calf - mhuru KKoMZ oxen - ngavi KMZ; nzombe KMZ bull - ngunzi; handira KMZ
donkey - dongi KMZ; mbongoro Ng horse - bhiza KMZ t_goat goat - mbudzi KKoMZ t_sheep sheep - gwayi K; hwai KMZ
t_pig pig - nguruve KMZ; humba KoZ t_bushpig01 bushpig - humba KoZ; ngurungunda KZ t_warthog01 warthog - njiri KMZ; hwami Z aardvark01 aardvark - dikita K; dzimba M; gweru Z
t_puppy02 puppy - mbwanana KMZ t_domesticdog domestic dog - imbwa KKoMZ t_wildog01 Wild dog - mhumhi KKoMZ t_jackal black-backed jackal - hungubwe K; manyene M
t_hen fowl - huku KKoMZ
hen - mhambo K; nhunzvi yehuku KZ; tseketse M
t_hen chicken - hukwana KMZ t_rooster cock; rooster - jongwe KMZ t_duck01 duck - dhadha KMZ
t_catdomestic domestic cat - kiti t_wildcat01 wild cat - nhiriri KKoZ; bonga MZ t_leopard_art leopard - mbada KKOMZ; ingwe KoMZ t_cheetah cheetah - dindingwe KMZ
t_serval01 serval cat - nzunza KZ; nzudzi M t_lion01 lion - shumba KKoMZ0 t_baboon baboon - gudo KKoMZ; bveni KoMZ t_monkey monkey - shoko KKoMZ
t_aardwolf01 aardwolf - mbizimumwena KZ; mwena KZ t_hyena spotted hyena - bere KZ; magondo KM; svitsi Ko t_elephant05 elephant - zhou K; nzou KoMZ; mhuvi Ko t_hippopotamus hippo - mvuu KKoMZ
t_wildebeest wilderbeest - mvumba KMZ t_baffalo02 buffalo - nyati KMZ
buffalo bull - rambwa Z
t_impala01 impala - mhara KZ t_kudu02 kudu - nhoro KMZ
t_caracal01 caracal - hwana K; twana MZ t_bushbaby01 bushbaby - chinhavira MZ; gwee K t_giraffe01 giraffe - twza KMZ t_rhino02 rhino - chipembere KMZ
t_rockrabbit rock rabbit - mbira KMZ t_hare01 hare - shuro K; tsuro MZ t_dessie01
dassie - mbira KMZ; dzvito Z; tsvito M
t_civet civet - jachacha KZ; bvungo M
t_badger01 honey badger - sere K; tsere MZ t_anteater anteater - haka KZ; harakabvuka M t_skunk01 polecat - chidembo KMZ t_porkupine porcupine - nungu KZ; ngwewewe M
t_mouse03 mouse - mbeva KMZ t_tortoise01 tortoise - kamba KKoMZ; hamba KMZ t_lizard02 lizard - dzvinyu KKoMZ t_agama agama - chidhambakura K; chiguyakuya MZ; chidambakura Z
t_ostrich ostrich - mhou KZ; mhowani M t_korhaan02
korhaan - gaudya Z; guhwi K
black-bellied korhaan - gubwi K; gunja M; renge Z
t_firefinch_female firefinch - tondondo K; kandirendire Z t_melbafinch02 Melba finch - njekedya Z; zazo K
t_eagle eagle - gondo KMZ
martial eagle - chinyamudzura KMZ
fish eagle - hungwe KZ
t_buzzard01
augur buzzard - nyamudzura KZ
lizard buzzard - chikondomatsvinyu Z; chikondomasvina Z
steppe buzzard - chikondomatsvinyu Z
t_hawk hawk - rukodzi KoMZ; ruvangu K t_falcon falcon kestrel - rukodzi KMZ
t_vulture valture - gora KMZ t-crane01 crane - horiori Z; muhori M t_secretarybird04 secretary bird - hwata KMZ; mukwasi KM t_owl
owl - zizi KKoMZ
t_guineafowl guineafowl - hanga KKoMZ t_swallow swallow - nyenganyenga KMZ t_starling01 Cape glossy starling - hwidzikwidzi Z; husvu KZ
long tailed starling - hwirikwiri Z
red-winged starling - ngwitsvo Z; hosviro K; sviho M
violet-backed starling - nyerure K
t_dove dove - njiva KKoMZ
t_stork01 stork - shohwari K; dambiramurove K; shuramurove KoMZ t_crow
pied crow - gunguo KKoM; savara Z
black crow - chikunguobya KZ
animals animals - mhuka KKoMZ t_squirrel01 squirrel - shindi K; tsindi MZ
t_crab1 crab - gakanje KMZ t_housefly
house fly - nhunzi KMZ
horsefly - n'ono KMZ; gunura M
t_bee bee - nyuchi KKoMZ
bumblebee - dzingidzi KMZ
t_flea01 flea - nhata KMZ
poultry flea - takata M; uzanguku KZ
t_mosquito mosquito - umhutu KKoMZ; utunga KM t_caterpillar02 caterpillar (gen. name) - chikukwa KZ t_caterpillar caterpillar - gonye KKoMZdescript t_butterfly02 butterfly: mbembenene K; fufura M; shaveshave Z
t_termites soldier termite - juru KMZ
termites - majuru KMZ
termites (edible flying termites) - ishwa MZ; shwarara K
t_millipeed millipeed - zongororo KZdescript t_centipede centipeed - mhani KZ; manimhani KZ; mhisa M t_spider spider - buve KZ; buwe M
trap-door spider - buwi M
t_beetle02 bombardier beetle - dundira KZ; jorishori M t_rhinobeetle dung beetle; scarab - nyamututa MZ; chituta K; ngoko M; demhure Z t_prayingmantis01 praying mantis - mbuyambuya K; kachemberebande KZ; chiremba M t_cricket large, edible sand cricket - gurwe KMZ; gurene Ko
t_locust locust - mhashu KMZ; hwiza Z; ndongwe M t_snail snail - hondywe KM; hozhwe KZ
snail shell - homba K
t_frog frog - dafi KMZ; dacha K; chura KoZ t_dragonfly dragon fly - mukonikoni KMZdescript
t_snake snake - nyoka KKoMZ t_cobra cobra - nyamafungu KMZdescript t_blackmamba01 blackmamba - rovambira KMZ t_python python - shato KKoMZ
t_fish01 fish - hove KKoMZ t_bream bream - gwaya KZ t_catfish01 catfish - mhatye K; muhono M; muramba Z t_minnow01 minnow - sinde KZ
t_minitorlizard monitor lizard - burwa KZ; mwauru M t_crocodile crocodile - garwe KMZ; ngwena KKoM; nyakoko Ko t_chameleon chameleon - gwaivhi K; rwaivhi KMZ t_zebra01 zebra - mbizi KMZ

Again, click this Abbreviations link to view the meanings of abbreviations used. The English-Shona page has a more comprehensive listing of names and includes names in different Shona dialects.
Submitting Shona Words
Help increase the Shona word list in the database for these Shona Language pages by submitting additional words I omitted and their meanings. Omissions may include instances where I did not cover all possible meanings of a word. In that case, treat the word as a new word and include all possible meanings for the word in question. Basic guide to submitting omitted words is on the Add Words page.

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