Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

ngaro

1. (verb) (-mia) to be hidden, out of sight, covered, disappeared, absent.

Ko te wāhi e tārewa ana ko ngā roto kei waenganui i ngā whenua, ko ngā parumoana, arā ko ngā whenua e pā ana ki ngā moana, e ngaromia ana e te tai pari. Ki te Māori he whenua ēnei nōna (TTT 1/8/1922:13). / The part still unresolved relates to lakes within the land and the seabed, that is the land associated with the sea which is covered by the high tide. To the Māori this land belongs to them.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: makaro, henumi, tārekoreko, kaitu, tamō, matangaro, hōnea, riua, tuakaihau


2. (verb) (-mia) to destroy.

Ko ngā kai katoa i ngakia mō tēnei tau ngaromia katoatia e te wai, tanumia iho ki raro e te onepū i te mimititanga o ngā wai (TWMNT 22/2/1876:40). / All the food that had been cultivated for this year was completely destroyed, buried in the sand when the water subsided.

Show example

Hide example


3. (stative) be missing, lost, consumed, gone, extinct.

Mahara noa a Tiopira kua mate ina hoki te roa e ngaro ana ki raro, mahue atu i a ia tana rāti (TP 10/1902:11). / Tiopira thought that it was dead due to the length of time it had been below, so he put down his harpoon.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: matangaro, makere, makaro


4. (modifier) secretly, hidden, undetected, unnoticed.

Rongo kau anō te tupua rā i te haunga āhua tangata, heoi ka puta kei waho o tōna rua, haere ngaro atu te ope rā, haere ngaro mai ana te tupua nei; kite noa ake, ehara, kua tata (NM 1928:126). / That demon smelt the odour of human form it emerged outside its lair, so that party and this demon were moving along secretly. When they finally saw each other, low and behold, they were close.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: tārehu, torohū, toropuku, whakamokeke, muna, tōngā, , kōkuhu, puku


5. (noun) roller - for moving a canoe, etc.

Synonyms: tauru, rango, rōra

ngaro

1. (noun) blowfly, houseflies of various species, insect - in connection with mākutu the fly represented the life or spirit of the person involved.

Ko te ōkiha kua ngaua e taua ngaro, he mea anō ka hīrori, pērā me te kau kua kai i te tutu nei i tēnei motu i a tātou nei, ā ka pohe ngā kanohi, ka mate (TWMNT 21/4/1874:94). / The steer that has been bitten by this insect, will later stagger around, like a cow which has eaten tutu in this country which goes blind and dies.

Show example

Hide example

See also ngarongaro

ngaro

1. (noun) variety of harakeke from the Moutoa swamp, Foxton. Very tall (up to 3 metres) and straight. Bush has dark, bronzy-green appearance. The young blades are a distinct bronze shade and are relieved by a scarlet line along the centre of the blades. Produces silky muka, but is also used for piupiu and kete. Ideal for whenu and aho in cloaks. Recognised last century as one of the best cultivars for milling. Strong, hard fibre, well suited for cordage.

mauri ngaro

1. (noun) coma.


2. (intransitive verb) coma.


3. (adjective) comatosed.

ngaro huruhuru

1. (noun) native bee.

wāhi ngaro

1. (noun) hidden realm, world of gods and spirits, divine intervention, heavens.

E ai ki ngā kōrero a te iwi, ko āna mahi kikino e kore e taea e te tangata te whakatikatika, mā te wāhi ngaro rā anō kātahi ka taea (TTR 1990:217). / The oral traditions of the people say his evil activities could never be rectified by a human but only by divine intervention.

Show example

Hide example

patu ngaro

1. (noun) fly swat, fly swatter, fan to keep flies away.

He waiata tēnei nā te wahine, i a ia e tāwhiriwhiri ana i te kanohi o tana tāne mate i runga i te atamira ki te patu ngaro, he patu rango ki ētahi he papaki rango ki ētahi iwi (M 2006:20). / This is a song by a woman, which she sang as she fanned her dead husband's face as he lay upon the elevated platform, using a patu ngaro, a fan to keep flies away. It is variously known among different tribes as a patu rango and papaki rango (M 2006:21).

Show example

Hide example

See also patu rango

moni ngaro

1. (loan) (noun) loss (financial).

Ko te whāinga matua o tā te pakihi whakamahere pūtea, kia toe mai he moni hua i te paunga o te tau. Mēnā ka nui ake ngā whakapaunga i ērā ka matapaehia i te mahere pūtea, tērā pea ko te moni ngaro te otinga, ā, ka raru pea te pakihi (TRP 2010:159). / The main objective of a financial business plan is that there is a profit at the end of the year. If expenditure is greater than was predicted in the budget, then it is likely that it will result in a financial loss, and the business might be in trouble.

Show example

Hide example

papaki ngaro

1. (noun) fly swat, fly swatter, a pattern used on tukutuku panels and cloak hems based on the traditional fly swat used by mourners to keep flies away from the deceased during a tangihanga. This pattern represents the warding off of harmful influences.

ngaro riki

1. (noun) fruit fly.

E ora ana te ngaro riki mō te takiwā o te whā tekau mā rima rā noa iho. The fruit fly only lives for around 45 days. /

Show example

Hide example

Rārangi maunga tū i te ao i te pō. Rārangi tangata ngaro noa ngaro noa.

1. Mankind is impermanent.

A mountain range stands for eternity but people will die. /

Show example

Hide example

E kore e ngaro he takere waka nui

1. An iwi (or organisation) will make it through great trials and tribulations.

The hull of a great waka will not be lost. /

Show example

Hide example

E kore koe e ngaro tōku reo rangatira

1. You will never be lost my chiefly language.

You will never be lost my chiefly language. /

Show example

Hide example

wharengaro

1. (noun) no offspring, no issue - a line or family which has become extinct. Sometimes as two words, i.e. whare ngaro.

He whare ngaro, engari, he tini ngā tamariki nā rāua i taurima (TTR 1996:233). / They had no offspring, but they fostered many children.

Show example

Hide example

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