pono
1. (verb) (-a) to come upon, happen to hit, fall in one's way, chance upon.
Ahakoa ko ngā tāngata o roto o taua whenua, ka haere atu ki taua whenua, ka pono atu e kī ana te kēti, me āta haere atu ki te tangata i a ia te kī o te kēti (TW 16/11/1878:579). / Although there are people present on that land, when you go on that land, you will find the gate locked and you must go to the person with the key of the gate.
pono
1. (adjective) be true, valid, honest, genuine, sincere.
Mehemea he pono te aroha o te tangata ki te wahine, o te wahine rānei ki te tāne, e kore rawa e mātoke, ahakoa whakararurarutia e ngā whanaunga engari ka kaha kē atu (TTT 1/10/1924:117). / If a man truly loves a woman, or vice versa, it will not go cold, and despite problems caused by relatives it will become stronger.
2. (noun) truth, non-fiction, validity.
Kua kitea e mātou te pono o aua kupu (TWM 18/9/1869:1). / We have seen the truth of those words.
Synonyms: kōrero pono
2. (noun) true story, non-fiction writing, factual text.
Ko tēnei kōrero he kōrero pono kāore e taea te whakahē (HTK 5/8/1893:9). / This account is a true story that can't be contradicted.
Synonyms: pono
ngākau pono
1. (verb) to be loyal, faithful, dependable, sincere.
Ka karanga nei au ki ngā tāngata Māori katoa e ngākau tika ana, e ngākau pono ana, kia kaua e whakapono ki ngā korero whakahē i tēnei kupu, ahakoa nā te Pākehā, ahakoa nā te Māori (TMT 15/3/1861:2). / I call upon all Māori who are true and faithful to not believe the negative statements, whether from Pākehā or Māori.
Synonyms: pirihongo, horopū, piripono, tōmau, pirihonga, pirihonge
2. (modifier) loyal, faithful, dependable, sincere.
He karanga kia mataara, kia tautiaki te hunga ngākau pono mō tōna putanga mai (KO 15/8/1883:13). / It is a call to be alert and to take care of the people who believe in his coming.
3. (noun) loyalty, allegiance, dependability, sincerity, integrity.
Nā te ngākau pono me te ngākaunui o Ākenehi Hei ki tāna mahi i taea ai e ia te āwhina te iwi Māori ki te whakapai ake i ngā āhua o tō rātau hauora (TTR 1996:40). / By her conscientious and devoted work Ākenehi Hei was able to help the Māori people to improve their health standards.
Synonyms: pirihongo, ngākaupono, piri, piripono
pono mārika
1. so true, quite right, believe strongly.
I te tīmatanga ko te nuinga o ngā kaipupuri hea he whanaunga katoa, me te pono mārika anō o Rāni ki te hoatu i ngā mahi katoa a te kamupene ki te whānau (TTR 2000:57). / Initially most of the shareholders were relatives and Rani believed strongly in employing family in all parts of the business.
whanonga pono
1. (noun) principles, values.
He mea whakamātau nāna kia riro mā āna kōrero ōpaki ki ngā kaitōrangapū Pākehā e mōhio ai rātou ki te tāhuhu o ngā whanonga pono a te Māori (TTR 1996:49). / In informal conversation she tried to convey to Pākehā politicians an understanding of central Māori values.
