Amafu

Ngokomchazazulu, ilifu (noma amafu ebuningini) uhowovange oluqukethe izingcezu zamaconsi oketshezi, imincwebe ekhazileyo nezinye izinhlayiyana ezibonakalayo ezijitshwe kumoyambulunga wendikimba ewumzulane noma emkhathini ofanayo. Amanzi noma amanye amavanga ahlukene aba yisakhi samaconsi nemincwebe. Emhlabeni, amafu akhiwa umthelela wokubhunyeka komoya lapho ubanda kufika esimweni samazolo, noma lapho uzuza umswakama owanele (osesimweni somhwamuko wamanzi) ovela emthonjeni olungene nawo ukuze ukhuphule izinga lokushisa elizungezile.

Amafu ayabonakala kwizulumbulunga, ihowombulunga, neshambulunga. Umchazamafu uyinzululwazi yamafu, efundwa kabanzi kumchazandalo wamafu okuyigatsha lomchazazulu. Amafu ahlukaniswa ngokwezigaba zobuhalalazi bomoyambulunga atholakala kuzo.
Izinhlobo zamafu eziyinhloko ezaziwayo ngesiZulu zibizwa: amafuthuthu, amafufu, amafufenaba, amafenala, amayezi. Amafu esigaba esiphansi awanazo izijobelelo eziwahlukanisa kwamanye amafu ngolimi lesiZulu, kubonakala sengathi anikwa igama kuye ngomthelela wawo emvelweni. Kodwana amafu esigaba esiphakathi anikwa isijobelelo "aza", kuyilapho amafu esigaba esiphezulu wona asebenzisa ibizo "amayezi" njengesiqalo. Izinhlobo zamafuthuthu azikhasa phansi ebusweni bomhlaba zaziwa ngokuthi inkungu.thumb|Amafu abonwa kumoyambulunga waseNigeria ngenkathi yehlobo 

Kuhowombulunga nakwishambulunga, amafu atholakala lapho anawo amagama awachazayo ngokwezinhlobo zawo. Lawo mafu, avame ukuba nommomo womgubezelo othuthu noma ummomo wemithende yamayezi. Kodwana akuvamile ukuwabona njengoba etholakala emachotsheni omhlaba. Amafu ayatholakala kumoyambulunga weminye imizulane nasezinyangeni ezisohlelweni likanozungezilanga. Kodwana, ngenxa yezinkondolo zawo zamazinga okushisa ahlukene, avame ukwakhiwa ezinye iziqa ezifana nejawani (methane), umthundohwe, nesimunyane sesibabuli kanye namanzi.

Amafu wezulumbulunga kungenzeka anomthelela oqondile ekuguquguqukeni kwesimo sezulu emhlabeni. Kuthiwa angakhwentuza imisebe yelanga okuyisenzo esinomthelela wokubandisa indawo la mafu atholakala kuyo, noma angavalela imiyonzi yamaza ekhwentuzela emuva emhlabeni nokuyisenzo esinomthelela wokufudumeza. Ukuphakama, umumo, nobugqinsi bamafu yizici eziyinhloko ezinomthelela ekufudumaleno nasekubandeni komhlaba nomoyambulunga. Amafu akheka ngaphezu kwezulumbulunga ayivelakancane futhi azace kakhulu ukuba angaba nethonya esimweni sezulu.

 Umsukagama 
Umsuka wegama elithi "Amafu" kungenzeka livela kwisenzukuthi fu esisho ukufutha, ukufusa, njengoba amafu ebonakala sengathi. Elinye igama elisho amafu ngelithi "amayezi" elingasasebenzi kakhulu ukuchaza Amafu jikelele, kodwana selichaza uhlobo lwamafu ayimishwe.

Amaphatho