Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

paraki

1. (noun) smelt, common smelt, Retropinna retropinna, Stokell's smelt, Stokellia anisodon - slender small silvery endemic freshwater fish that move about in shoals and growing to about 165 mm long. Common smelt is found throughout Aotearoa/New Zealand, but Stokell's smelt is only found in the lower reaches of rivers in the Marlborough-Canterbury coast. Spawn in the reaches of rivers in summer and autum then dying. Lavae washed to sea, some returning with whitebait, others returning only as adults.

Ka hīia te paraki me te piharau ki Ōtākou (Te Ara 2011). / Smelt and lamprey were fished for in Otago.

Show example

Hide example

See also pōrohe

Synonyms: ngaure, ngaore, kehakeha, pōrohe, takeke, pūataata, īnanga papa, ngore, ngorengore, rangiriri, tikihemi, ngaiore


2. (noun) froth, saliva.

pōrohe

1. (noun) smelt, common smelt, Retropinna retropinna, Stokell's smelt, Stokellia anisodon - slender small silvery endemic freshwater fish that move about in shoals and growing to about 165 mm long. Common smelt is found throughout Aotearoa/New Zealand, but Stokell's smelt is only found in the lower reaches of rivers in the Marlborough-Canterbury coast. Spawn in the reaches of rivers in summer and autum then dying. Lavae washed to sea, some returning with whitebait, others returning only as adults.


2. (noun) blue mussel, Mytilus edulis - a bivalve mollusc found attached to rocks between tides. It has a dark bluish-black shell on the outside.

See also toretore


3. (noun) green-lipped mussel, common mussel, Perna canaliculus - a bivalve mollusc found attached to rocks and wharf piles from low tide level to depths of about 55 m.

See also kuku

Synonyms: kuku


4. (noun) young of eels and other fish.

ngaore

1. (verb) to be succulent, tender, soft, lush.

He ngaore te tupu o te māra (W 1971:229). / The growth of the garden is lush.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: ngahau, tāmaota, matomato


2. (noun) succulence, tenderness, softness, lushness.

Ka rawe te ngaore o te mīti ka āta tunua mō te hia hāore - kāore te paroparo e mamae i te roa e katikatia ana, e ngaungaua ana (HJ 2017:113). / The succulence of meat slowly cooked for several hours is excellent - the skull will not become sore from biting and chewing.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: matomato


3. (noun) smelt, common smelt, Retropinna retropinna, Stokell's smelt, Stokellia anisodon - slender small silvery endemic freshwater fish that move about in shoals and growing to about 165 mm long. Common smelt found throughout Aotearoa/New Zealand, but Stokell's smelt only found in lower reaches of rivers in the Marlborough-Canterbury coast. Spawn in the reaches of rivers in summer and autum then dying. Lavae washed to sea, some returning with whitebait, others returning only as adults.

Ko te hao hopu i ngā īnanga me ngā ngaore, he hiraka mā (HP 1991:17). / The net for catching whitebait and smelt was of white silk.

Show example

Hide example

See also pōrohe

Synonyms: ngorengore, rangiriri, tikihemi, ngaiore, ngaure, pūataata, paraki, pōrohe, takeke, kehakeha, īnanga papa, ngore

kehakeha

1. (noun) smelt, common smelt, Retropinna retropinna, Stokell's smelt, Stokellia anisodon - slender small silvery endemic freshwater fish that move about in shoals and growing to about 165 mm long. Common smelt found throughout Aotearoa/New Zealand, but Stokell's smelt only found in lower reaches of rivers in the Marlborough-Canterbury coast. Spawn in the reaches of rivers in summer and autum then dying. Lavae washed to sea, some returning with whitebait, others returning only as adults.

ngaure

1. (noun) young of smelt, common smelt, Retropinna retropinna - slender small silvery endemic freshwater fish that move about in shoals and growing to about 165 mm long. Found throughout Aotearoa/New Zealand. Spawn in the reaches of rivers in summer and autum then dying. Lavae washed to sea, some returning with whitebait, others returning only as adults.

ngaiore

1. (noun) young of smelt, common smelt, Retropinna retropinna - slender small silvery endemic freshwater fish that move about in shoals and growing to about 165 mm long. Found throughout Aotearoa/New Zealand. Spawn in the reaches of rivers in summer and autum then dying. Lavae washed to sea, some returning with whitebait, others returning only as adults.

ngore

1. (noun) young of smelt, common smelt, Retropinna retropinna - slender small silvery endemic freshwater fish that move about in shoals and growing to about 165 mm long. Found throughout Aotearoa/New Zealand. Spawn in the reaches of rivers in summer and autum then dying. Lavae washed to sea, some returning with whitebait, others returning only as adults.

ngorengore

1. (modifier) soft, flaccid, drooping.

He ure ngorengore nō Pā-kihi (M 2006:426). / The flaccid penis of Pā-kihi.

Show example

Hide example


2. (noun) young of smelt, common smelt, Retropinna retropinna - slender small silvery endemic freshwater fish that move about in shoals and growing to about 165 mm long. Found throughout Aotearoa/New Zealand. Spawn in the reaches of rivers in summer and autum then dying. Lavae washed to sea, some returning with whitebait, others returning only as adults.

pūataata

1. (noun) young of smelt, common smelt, Retropinna retropinna - slender small silvery endemic freshwater fish that move about in shoals and growing to about 165 mm long. Found throughout Aotearoa/New Zealand. Spawn in the reaches of rivers in summer and autum then dying. Lavae washed to sea, some returning with whitebait, others returning only as adults.

tikihemi

1. (noun) half-grown smelt, common smelt, Retropinna retropinna - slender small silvery endemic freshwater fish that move about in shoals and growing to about 165 mm long. Found throughout Aotearoa/New Zealand. Spawn in the reaches of rivers in summer and autum then dying. Lavae washed to sea, some returning with whitebait, others returning only as adults.

īnanga papa

1. (noun) common smelt, Retropinna retropinna - slender small silvery endemic freshwater fish that move about in shoals and growing to about 165 mm long. Found throughout Aotearoa/New Zealand. Spawn in the reaches of rivers in summer and autum then dying. Lavae washed to sea, some returning with whitebait, others returning only as adults.

rangiriri

1. (noun) common smelt, Retropinna retropinna - slender small silvery endemic freshwater fish that move about in shoals and growing to about 165 mm long. Found throughout Aotearoa/New Zealand. Spawn in the reaches of rivers in summer and autum then dying. Lavae washed to sea, some returning with whitebait, others returning only as adults.

takeke

1. (noun) piper, Hyporhamphus ihi - elongated endemic fish with lower jaw extended and beak-like. Greenish to green-blue above, pale white below, with broad silver band on side. Dorsal and anal fins set well back on body. Found in coastal waters around Aotearoa/New Zealand and Chatham Islands at depths of 0-10 m.

I te mutunga o tā mātou hao takeke i Rāpaki, he one pai, ka mea atu ahau ki taku pāpā, "Ko te wake ahau ki te kāinga." (TWK 15:4). / When we had finished netting piper fish at Rāpaki, a nice beach, I said to my father, "I am walking home."

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: karehā, wariwari, hangenge, ihe


2. (noun) full-grown common smelt, Retropinna retropinna - slender small silvery endemic freshwater fish that move about in shoals and growing to about 165 mm long. Found throughout Aotearoa/New Zealand. Spawn in the reaches of rivers in summer and autum then dying. Lavae washed to sea, some returning with whitebait, others returning only as adults.

Te Kākano 3rd Edition

New edition of the leading Māori-language textbook out now.

More info

The App

Te Aka Māori Dictionary is also available as an iOS and Android app. Download below.

iOS Android

The Book

Te Aka Māori-English, English-Māori Dictionary and Index by John C Moorfield comprises a selection of modern and everyday language that will be extremely useful for learners of the Māori language.

More info

He Pātaka Kupu

Te kai a te rangatira

He Pātaka Kupu is a monolingual Māori language dictionary, and was designed using its own culturally authentic terms.

Visit website

00:00