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Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

murimanu

1. (noun) secondary wife, inferior wife, junior wife.

Ko tō Ruatapu whaea he murimanu, arā he mauhere hoki (Te Ara 2016). / Ruatapu’s mother was a junior wife, that is she was a captured slave.

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wahine matua

1. (noun) head wife, senior wife.

Tokowhitu ngā tamariki a Taiwhanga rāua ko tana wahine matua ko Māta Rawa o Te Arawa (TTR 1990:139). / Taiwhanga and his first wife, Martha Rawa of Te Arawa, had seven children.

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hoahoa

1. (stative) be amiable, affable, friendly.

Heoti e noho hoahoa ana rāua tahi i a rāua ka kaumātua haere (TTR 1994:15). / However, they remained close friends when they became elderly.

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2. (noun) spouse, wife, husband, co-wife - used also for two women who are the wives of the same husband.

Ko te wahine nei ko Tau-kai he taupurua rāua ko tōna hoahoa, ko Te Aho-o-te-rangi, ki tā rāua tāne (M 2006:240). / This woman Tau-kai was continually vying with her co-wife, Te Aho-o-te-rangi, for their husband (M 2006:241).
Ka haere tēnei ngā hīrere ki Te Makomako, mā Te Whareroa, mā Te Hautaonga, hei hoahoa mō Tiori (M 2007:288). / Then I travel through the waterfalls to Te Makomako, and note Te Whareroa and Te Hautaonga, as spouses for Tiori (M 2007:289).

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3. (noun) friendship.

Nā tana hoahoa ki a Ngata rāua ko Te Kōti i auau ai tana tūtakitaki ki ngā āpiha a te kāwanatanga (TTR 1996:47). / Her friendship with Ngata and Coates led her into frequent contacts with government officials.

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taupā

1. (verb) (-tia) to obstruct, prevent.

Kīhai au i haere; i taupātia au e te tangata i te pō (W 1971:400). / I did not go; I was prevented by the man in the night.

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Synonyms: whakakati, whakakōroiroi, whakapā, whakahōtaetae, ngihangiha, ārai, kōpeka, hōtaetae, pākati, tāiha, taipuru, ārei, aukati, kōpekapeka, kati, taupare,


2. (verb) (-tia) to perform a ritual chant used by a man to attract a woman or a ritual chant used by a dying man to withhold his wife from other men.

Ka aranga te ingoa o tēnei whaiwhaiā he taupā i te wahine. E rua ngā āhua o tēnei whaiwhaiā, he tangata kāore i tae ki te wahine, he tangata i tae tonu ki te wahine i moea hei wahine tūturu māna, ki te mōhio taua tangata kua tata ia te mate ka taupātia e ia tōna wahine i mua atu i tōna matenga (TPH 31/8/1904:2). / This witchcraft is known as the ritual to withhold the wife from other men. There are two functions of this witchcraft, for a man who is not able to take a woman and for a man who has taken a wife in a permanent relationship. If that man knows he is approaching death he will perform the ritual to withhold his wife from other men.

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3. (noun) obstruction, boundary, hymen.

Nā, ki te haere te ope taua, ka kitea te moko kākāriki e whakapae ana mai i mua i te ara, he taupā tēnā, me hoki tēnā taua (JPS 1927:358). / Now, if a war party is on the march and a green gecko is seen lying on the path, then that is an obstruction, that party must return.

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Synonyms: tairo, taunahua, tauārai, āraitanga


4. (noun) fat covering the kidneys, perinephric fat.

Me ngā whatukuhu e rua, me tō reira ngako, tērā i te hope, me te taupā i te ate, me ngā whatukuhu, me tango tērā e ia (PT Rewitikuha 3:4). / And the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away.

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5. (noun) ritual chant by a man to attract a woman, ritual chant by a dying man to withhold his wife from other men.

Ka aranga te ingoa o tēnei whaiwhaiā he taupā i te wahine (TPH 31/8/1904:2). / This witchcraft is known as the ritual to withhold the wife from other men.

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makau

1. (noun) favourite, object of affection, lover, spouse, wife, husband.

Ko tā rāua makau ko Pirihira Kātipa, ā, iwa noa iho tōna pakeke i tōna matenga mai i te tau 1939 (TTR 1996:52). / Their favourite was Pirihira Kātipa, and she died in 1939 when she was only nine.

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Synonyms: māpihi maurea, kaitokomauri, tau, tahu, hoa tākunekune, whaiāipo, ipo, kairoro, tau o te ate

punarua

1. (modifier) in pairs, having two wives, having two partners.

Tēnei ka rongo mātou ko te mahi punarua nei e nui haere ana i roto i Ngāti Apa (TWMNT 20/7/1875:162). / We hear that the practice of having two wives is on the increase within Ngāti Apa.

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See also moe punarua


2. (noun) second wife.

Ko Whioroa te wahine punarua (M 2004:152). / Whioroa was the second wife.
Ka tīkina e te tangata nei te wahine hei punarua māna (W 1971:310). / This man procured the woman as his second wife.

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hoa wahine

1. (noun) wife, female partner.

I te tau 1965, ka mate tana hoa wahine, a Parehuia, tōna ringa matau i āna mahi katoa (TTR 1998:13). / His wife, Parehuia, and his right hand in all his work, died in 1965.

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tama meamea

1. (noun) son of a slave wife.

Ko Ruatapu, he tama nō Uenuku-nui i tana wahine, i a Paimahutanga. He tangata whakakake tana tamaiti, ā, nō reira i kī atu ai te papa i tētahi rangi, "E kore rā e tika kia haere koe ki te whare o tō tuakana, he tama meamea koe nāku." Mō te whaea pea tēnei kupu, ehara hoki ia i te rangatira (MM.TKM 3-4/1855:31). / Ruatapu was a son of Uenuku-nui by his wife, Paimahutanga. His child was very forward, and so his father said to him one day, "It is not becoming of you to go up to your elder brother's house; you are a son of low status." This was an allusion, most probably to his mother, who was not a person of rank.

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wahine

1. (modifier) female, womanly, feminine.

Ko te reo karanga tuatahi o runga marae tētahi tikanga nui o te mana wahine (A 2017). / The first call of welcome on the marae is an important expression of female mana.

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2. (noun) woman, female, lady, wife.

Kua tīmata anō te wahine ki te mau roroa i te panekoti. E tika ana anō, i te mea kua tae kē ngā panekoti o nāianei ki runga ake i ngā turi (TTT 1/9/1929:1064). / Women have again started wearing longer skirts. And that's appropriate because currently skirts are above the knees.

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Synonyms: reiri

kaitamāhine

1. (verb) (-tia) to seek in marriage, obtain (a young woman) as wife.

Te ope a Te Tauira i haere ki Tūranga ki te kaitamāhine i a Rakahanga (W 1971:90). / Te Tauira's party went to Gisborne to seek a young wife from Rakahanga.

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toko

1. (verb) (-na) to support with a pole, prop up, propel with a pole.

Ahakoa mau haere tonu a Meri Mangakāhia ki ngā tōrangapū Māori me te toko anō i tōna iwi, kāore he kōrero i tua atu i rongohia mō āna mahi mō te Kotahitanga (TTR 1994:54). / Although Meri Mangakāhia continued to be active in Māori politics and support of her people, nothing further is written about her participation in the Kotahitanga movement.

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Synonyms: tītoko, tauteka, tokotoko, whakatete, tautoko


2. (verb) (-na) to divorce, separate (husband and wife) by a rite involving karakia.


3. (noun) rod, pole, stilt.

Kātahi ka titiro ki ngā toko o te tūāhu (NM 1928:64). / Then they looked at the rods of the tūāhu.

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Synonyms: matire, tiripou, turupou, tumutumu, tumu, pōra, poupou, pou, koteo, tōpito o te ao, pōhi, turuturu, tīrou, tokotoko

whāereere

1. (noun) mother (of one's children), wife.

Ka haere a Tūrongo ki te rāwhiti, ā, ka tae ki te kāinga o Te Angiangi rāua ko te whāereere, ko Tuaka, i te takiwā ki Kahotea (TWK 3:19). / Tūrongo went to the east and arrived at the home of Te Angiangi and his wife, Tuaka, in the district of Kahotea.

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2. (noun) mother (of animals).

Ka tere mate ngā kūao whānau hou ki te kore e tere kitea te waiū o te whāereere (HJ 2015:235). / New-born offspring will die quickly if they don't find the mother's milk in a short space of time.

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Synonyms: tīaka

ihupuni

1. (verb) to take a second husband or wife.


2. (noun) a dark dogskin cloak.

Ngā taonga i horahia atu ki a Te Paranihi e Te Kooti he ihupuni, he patu parāoa (KO 16/2/1885:2). / The gifts presented to the Honourable Mr Ballance by Te Kooti were a dogskin cloak and a whalebone club.

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kaireperepe

1. (noun) relative by marriage.

Kāore i te mōhiotia ko wai te whaea o Te Tahuri, engari he hononga ōna ki a Waikato me Ngāti Whātua. Nā ēnei kaireperepe ka uru atu a Te Horetā ki roto i ētahi pakanga i mate ai a Te Tahuri me tana hoa tāne (TTR 1990:192). / It's not known who Te Tahuri's mother was, but she had connections with Waikato and Ngāti Whātua. Through these ties through marriage Te Horetā became involved in some battles when Te Tahuri and her husband were killed.

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2. (noun) marriage gift - given by the husband to hi wife's father.

Ki te tino whakakāhore rawa tōna pāpā, ā e kore e tukua ki a ia, me homai e ia ngā moni e rite ana ki te kaireperepe mō ngā kotiro (PT Ekoruhe 22:17). / If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins.

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Synonyms: kaihāpainga, kaipākūhā

a

1. (particle) of, belonging to - used when the possessor has, or had, control of the relationship or is dominant, active or superior to what is possessed. Thus, in most contexts in a sentence, moveable property, tools, things made by humans, food, drink (except water for drinking), husband (tāne), wife (wahine), lover (whaiāipo), children, grandchildren, people in an inferior position, plants and animals, pets and crops, and work are likely to take the a category. If the possessor is active towards the possessed the a category will also be used, including when derived nouns are used this way.

(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 54-55, 108-109, 140-141; Te Kākano Study Guide (Ed. 1): 2, 16, 23, 33-34, 36; Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 166-167; Te Pihinga Study Guide (Ed. 1): 166-167; Te Māhuri Textbook (Ed. 2): 113, 178-179;)

Nā te whakamārama a te kaiako, ka mōhio a Pio me pēhea tana mahi. / It was thanks to the teacher's explanation that Pio knew how his work should be done.
Areare ō taringa ki te tangi a te pīpīwharauroa (Te Ara 2015). / Open your ears to the call of the shining cuckoo.
Nō te taenga mai a Te Mōkena ki runga ka hoatu ngā pū māna (TWM 1/7/1865:1). / When Mr Morgan arrived in the south he was given guns.

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Synonyms: , o,

Hiwa-i-te-rangi

1. (personal noun) Calaeno - one of the stars in Te Kāhui o Matariki, the Pleiades star cluster. Sometimes shortened to just Hiwa. A star that Māori would send their dreams and desires to in the hope that they would be realised. Said by some to be the daughter of Matariki and was taken by the star Ioio-whenua as his wife.

Waihoki, e rua atu anō ngā whetū o Matariki ka tautuhia e Te Kōkau e iwa ai te katoa o te kāhui. Ko ēnei whetū, ko Pōhutukawa rāua ko Hiwa-i-te-rangi (Matariki 2017:22). / Furthermore, Te Kōkau identifies two other stars in Matariki, giving nine altogether in the cluster. These stars are Pōhutukawa (Sterope) and Hiwa-i-te-rangi (Calaeno).

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ā

1. (particle) belonging to (more than one thing) - combines with the dual and plural personal pronouns.

(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 52-56;)

Ko rāua ā māua tama. / They are our sons.

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2. (particle) has, have, owns - plural of (a possessive).

(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 108-110;)

He ngeru ā Hēni. / Jane owns cats.

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Synonyms: ,


3. (particle) those of, the ... of. Used as an alternative form for ngā ... a.

(Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 126;)

Ko ā Hēmi tamariki he tāne katoa. / James's children are all males.

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4. (particle) Used in the ways listed above when the possessor has, or had, control of the relationship or is dominant, active or superior to what is possessed. Thus, in most contexts in a sentence, moveable property, tools, things made by humans, food, drink (except water for drinking), husband (tāne), wife (wahine), lover (whaiāipo), children, grandchildren, people in an inferior position, plants and animals, pets and crops, and work are likely to take the a category. If the possessor is active towards the possessed the a category will also be used, including when derived nouns are used this way.

(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 54-56, 140-141;)

Kotahi rau ā taku whānau hipi i mate i te waipuke. / One hundred of my family's sheep died in the flood.
Koia nei ā Tio mahi. / This is Joe's work.

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See also ā tātou

haehae

1. (verb) (-a,-tia) to scratch, draw, cut up, lacerate, tear - to lacerate the limbs, body and even the face with flakes of obsidian at tangihanga, particularly by the wife and close female relatives, was a traditional custom.

Koia mātou i mea ai me whakaoho i ngā hipi kei haehaea pūtia e te wuruwhi (TH 4/1859:1). / That's why we said that we should awaken the sheep lest they be savaged by the wolf.

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Synonyms: whakahaehae, hahae, hae, harakuku, hōripi, rarapi, hōripiripi, whakangaeke, tiwha, riwha, nanatu, rakaraka, raraku, rapi, hārau, raku, rapirapi, rakuraku


2. (noun) slashing, tearing, scratching, lacerating, cutting up.

Ka puta a Ao-kehu i te rākau rā, ka tīmata tana haehae i te puku o te taniwha me te māripi (Te Ara 2015). / Ao-kehu appeared and began slashing the stomach of the taniwha with the knife.

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Synonyms: harakuku, raraku, rapi, rapirapi, rapirapitanga


3. (noun) parallel grooves between lines of the dog-tooth pattern in carving.

Ko te rauponga. I tēnei tauira, ka tāruaruatia te pākati, ā, ka noho mai ēnei ki roto i ngā haehae, arā, ngā rārangi whakarara ki ia taha (RTA 2014:210). / The rauponga carving pattern. In this example, the pākati pattern of rows of chevron-shaped notches is repeated and these sit inside parallel grooves, that is parallel lines on each side.

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Hine-te-iwaiwa

1. (noun) an atua regarded as the exemplary figure of a wife and mother. According to some narratives she married Tinirau and gave birth to Tūhuruhuru.

(Te Māhuri Textbook (Ed. 2): 27-28;)

See also atua

Ioio-whenua

1. (personal name) according to some narratives, he was the eldest son of Rangi-nui and Papa-tū-ā-nuku. He was banished to Whiti-reinga by his father because he continually attacked his brothers. Some say that he was a star that took Hiwa-i-te-rangi (Calaeno) as his wife. Represents peace and all peaceful conditions and pursuits.

(Te Māhuri Study Guide (Ed. 1): 40-42;)

Ko Ioio-whenua te tama mātāmua a Rangi-nui rāua ko Papa-tū-ā-nuku (HWM n.d.). / Ioio-whenua was the first born son of Rangi-nui and Papa-tū-ā-nuku.

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