kiboko
/kiˈɓɔ.kɔ/
The Swahili word for hippo is kiboko.
kiboko refers to the large, semi-aquatic mammal native to Africa.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables. The stress is on the second syllable: /kiˈɓɔ.kɔ/.
Did you know?
- In Swahili, the word kiboko is also the name for a large whip made of hippopotamus hide. Historically, these whips were used as tools of corporal punishment in some East African regions.
- The term kiboko is used as a metaphor for something powerful or an unbeatable opponent in sports and politics.
- The word kiboko follows the noun class system where the prefix ki- often denotes a specific type of object or tool, which explains why the word for the animal also functions as a name for a whip.
Examples in context
- Kiboko ni mnyama mkubwa.A hippo is a large animal.
- Kiboko ana nguvu sana.A hippo is very strong.
Example conversation
Said and Aisha are on a safari watching animals near a river.
- SaidAngalia, kuna kiboko kwenye maji!Look, there is a hippo in the water!
- AishaNdiyo, kiboko huyo ni mkubwa sana.Yes, that hippo is very large.
- SaidJe, unaogopa kiboko huyo?Are you afraid of that hippo?
- AishaHapana, lakini ninaheshimu mnyama huyu.No, but I respect this animal.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry kiboko, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
