jua kali

noun

The informal economy; self-employment other than agriculture.

OriginSwahili jua kali →
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Meanings

nounjua kali (uncountable)
  1. KenyauncountableThe informal economy; self-employment other than agriculture.

Origin

  1. Swahilijua kali
  2. Swahilijua kali
  3. Englishjua kali

Borrowed from Swahili jua kali, from jua (“sun”) + kali (“fierce”).

More words from Swahili

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

jua kali. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/jua%20kali

MLA

“jua kali.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/jua%20kali. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “jua kali,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/jua%20kali.

Source: jua kali on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.