kwacha

American  

[kwah-chuh] / ˈkwɑ tʃə /

noun

1. a cupronickel coin, paper money, and monetary unit of Malawi, equal to 100 tambala. K.

2. a cupronickel coin, paper money, and monetary unit of Zambia, equal to 100 ngwee. K.

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kwacha British  

/ ˈkwɑːtʃɑː /

noun

1. the standard monetary unit of Zambia, divided into 100 ngwee

2. the standard monetary unit of Malawi, divided into 100 tambala

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Etymology

Origin of kwacha

from a native word in Zambia

Example Sentences

This forces some to look for US dollars on the black market, where the exchange rate is higher than the official rate of 1,750 kwacha for $1.

From BBC • Jun. 27, 2025

Traders can pay between 4,000 and 5,000 kwacha for $1 - which has a knock-on effect for consumers.

From BBC • Jun. 27, 2025

The video shows at least three men counting piles of money neatly stacked on a table, some of it in U.S. dollars and some of it in Zambian kwacha.

From Washington Times • Dec. 28, 2023

A basic monthly food basket cost almost 9,000 kwacha in December, more than twice the national average monthly earnings of 4,393 kwacha, according to the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection, which tracks food prices.

From Reuters • Apr. 18, 2023

For this reason, people often plaster their walls and bed mats with kwacha notes to protect themselves during the night.

From "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind" by William Kamkwamba