Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

pūkenga

1. (modifier) skilled, versed in.

Tino mōhiotia ana ia he tangata pūkenga, he tohunga rongonui ki te whakairo (TTR 1998:85). / He was well known as a skilled person, a famous expert carver.

Show example

Hide example


2. (noun) repository, skill, expertise, lecturer.

Ki tāna, he hua nui kei roto i te taha mākohakoha, whakahoahoa hoki o te Māori i tana noho, tāpiri atu hoki ki ana pūkenga auaha me tana manaaki i te tangata, he painga mō te motu kei te katoa o ēnei āhuatanga (TTR 2000:71). / In his opinion, there was great value in the relaxed and friendly nature of the Māori lifestyle in addition to their creative skills and hospitality for the benefit of the country as a whole.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: kaiwhakaako, kaikauwhau


3. (noun) specialist, expert.

He pūkenga ngā tohunga ki ngā momo toi whakairo, toi moko, te waihanga whare me ngā mahi ā-wairua (Te Ara 2013). / Tohunga were specialists in areas such as carving, tattooing, building houses and spiritual matters.

Show example

Hide example

pukenga

1. (noun) rising, swelling, welling up.

Kāhore i roa te putanga ki te moana ka whakawhiti i te ākau ko te pukenga o te ngaru, kātahi ka porowhiua te poti tahuri tonu atu, pūtere ana te tokorima nei i te wai (HKW 1/9/1902:10). / It wasn't long after they had put to sea and were crossing the reef that a wave rose up and the boat was thrown about, capsizing and the five people were tossed into the water.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: panuku, hurunga, whakapupuketanga, huamo, huru


2. (noun) pools, flood waters.

pūkenga tūrama

1. (noun) lighting technician.

Ko te pūkenga tūrama te tangata māna e whakarite, māna e whakahaere ngā rama mō tētahi whakaaturanga (RMR 2017). / The lighting technician is the person who organises and controls the lighting for a production (RMR 2017).

Show example

Hide example

pūkenga torohū

1. receptive skills.

pūkenga matua

1. (noun) senior lecturer.

pūkenga puoro

1. (noun) musicianship.

Ko te pūkenga puoro te tau o te ringapuoro ki tāna mahi, ko te āhua o tana whakatinana i āna puoro (RTP 2015:81). / Musicianship is the artistry of a musician in performing their music (RTP 2015:81).

Show example

Hide example

pūkenga whakarongo

1. (noun) aural skill, listening skill.

Ko te pūkenga whakarongo te āhei o te tangata ki te hopu, ki te tautohu, ki te tātari, ki te tārua i ngā oro ka tau atu ki ōna taringa (RTP 2015:81). / Aural skill is the ability of a person to hold, to identify, to analyse and to duplicate the sounds that she hears (RTP 2015:81).

Show example

Hide example

pūkenga oro

1. (noun) audio technician, audio engineer.

Ko te mahi a te pūkenga oro, he hopu, he rāwekeweke, he whakanikoniko, he whakaputa i te puoro. He wā anō, ko tāna mahi he whakarite, he whakahaere i ngā oro mō tētahi whakaaturanga mataora ki te atamira o te whare whakaari. Ko te āhua o ngā oro hei whakaū i te wairua o te whakaaturanga (RMR 2017). / The role of a sound engineer is to record, manipulate, embellish and reproduce music. Another role is in arranging and controlling the sound for a live stage production. The nature of the sound helps establish the mood of the production (RMR 2017).

Show example

Hide example

He pukenga wai ka puta te rākau, he pukenga tangata ka puta te kōrero.

1. Discussion comes about when people come together.

In a flood of water a tree appears in a confluence of people dialogue comes out. /

Show example

Hide example

pūkenga kawe-ā-riri

1. (noun) military strategist.

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