Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

pai

1. (verb) (-ngia) to like, approve, consent, appeal.

Koinei anake te whakangungu kaiako i pai ki a au (HM 4/2008:3). / This was the only teacher training that I liked.

Show example

Hide example

See also paingia

Synonyms: ōrite, ānō, pīrangi, rata, rite, tairite, ānō nei, enanga, kei, matareka, riterite, manako, me


2. (verb) to be good, efficient, simple, easy, excellent, suitable, agreeable, pleasant, handsome, good-looking.

He maha hoki ngā whare kua kitea e au he whare nunui, he pai a waho ki te titiro atu, ko roto ia he pai ke atu ngā wharepuni (TP 12/1906:3). / And there are many houses that I have seen that are large with nice exteriors to look at, but inside the sleeping houses are even better.

Show example

Hide example

See also ka pai

Synonyms: waingōhia, māmā, kakato, rawe, rekareka, hāneanea, ngohengohe, manini, āhuareka, ātaahua, hūmārie, reka, āhumehume, pārekareka, hūmārire, harakoa, ngāwari, rēhia, hūmārika, matareka, purotu


3. (modifier) well, safe and sound - to indicate that something happens without any problems or mishaps.

He wahine i akona paitia, ā, he reorua anō hoki (TTR 1994:25). / She was a woman who was well-educated and bilingual.
E kī nei a Ngāti Raukawa kāhore rātou i panaia mai e Waikato me ētahi atu iwi i Maungatautari, i haere pai mai rātou (TWMNT 24/12/1872:158). / Ngāti Raukawa say that they were not driven out by Waikato and other tribes from Maungatautari, they came away on their own free will.

Show example

Hide example


4. (noun) excellence, suitability, good looks, advantage, quality, standard, good.

He iwi hūmārire te Māori, he makoha, he aroha ki te pai (TTT 1/8/1930:2118). / The Māori are amiable people, placid and love that which is good.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: kounga, rawe

pai haere

1. (intransitive verb) improve.

tino pai

1. (adjective) special.

ka pai

1. good.

Ka pai rā tēnei mahi. / This work is good.

Show example

Hide example


2. it serves (you) right - sometimes used idiomatically to indicate the speakers lack of sympathy.

Pare: Kua tangohia te raihana a Tahuti. Rangi: Ka pai. Koinā anō e mātotoru nā te waewae (HKK 1999:72). / Pare: Tahuti has had his licence taken away. Rangi: It serves him right. That's because of his heavy foot.

Show example

Hide example

Pai Mārire

1. (personal noun) Christian faith developed by Te Ua Haumēne in Taranaki which is still practised by some, including Waikato Māori.

Nō te tau 1864, ka ūwhia te īngoa o Tāwhiao ki runga ki a ia e Te Ua Haumēne, te poropiti o Pai Mārire (TTR 1994:131). / In 1864 Te Ua Haumene, the Pai Mārire prophet, bestowed on him the name Tāwhiao.

Show example

Hide example

See also Paimārire

Pai tū pai hinga nā wai, nā oti

1. Through trials and tribulations the work will be complete.

Good at standing good at falling in time the work is complete. /

Show example

Hide example

anō te pai!

1. (interjection) that's excellent! great! fantastic!.

(Te Kōhure Textbook (Ed. 2): 196;)

i pai ai

1. (interjection) fortunately, thank goodness.

te pai kē!

1. that's excellent! great! fantastic!.

(Te Kōhure Textbook (Ed. 2): 196;)

pai kē atu

1. better, nicer, superior.

He maha hoki ngā whare kua kitea e au he whare nunui, he pai a waho ki te titiro atu, ko roto ia he pai ke atu ngā wharepuni (TP 12/1906:3). / And there are many houses that I have seen that are large with nice exteriors to look at, but inside the sleeping houses are even better.

Show example

Hide example

pouāwhina mate pai

1. (noun) STD clinic.

kia pai te rā

1. (interjection) have a good day.

Kia pai te rā, kia tika hoki ngā whanonga. Have a good day and behave. /

Show example

Hide example

ka mau te pai

1. (interjection) that's excellent, great, fantastic.

(Te Kōhure Textbook (Ed. 2): 196;)

kākahu pai rawa atu

1. (noun) best clothes, Groppi mocker.

Pihi ake te whakaaro pai hauhake tonu iho

1. A good thought requires immediate action.

When a good idea arises harvest it immediately. /

Show example

Hide example

Tariao

1. (noun) leader of the Pai Mārire faith and also the name of a religious movement in Waikato. Between 1875 and 1876 the Kingitanga modified its religious expression when it adopted the Tariao faith. This combined Pai Mārire prayers with new forms of ritual. The Tariao were ministers of the new faith. Tawhiao, the second Māori king, was the head Tariao.

Kaua koutou ngā iwi Maori e rongo ki ngā kōrero pōtatu o aua karakia Tariao (TW 19/8/1876:306). / You, the Māori tribes, should not listen to the distracting words of the Tariao prayers.

Show example

Hide example


2. (personal noun) star in the Milky Way - sometimes called the Morning Star.

I te tau 1875, i naomia atu e ia te Pai Mārire hei whakapono mō te Kīngitanga, engari kia rite ki tāna i hiahia ai, kātahi ka whakaingoatia ko Tariao (te whetū i te ata) (TTR 1994:133). / During 1875 he adopted the Pai Mārire religion as the faith of the King movement, but his own version of it, and then he called it Tariao (the morning star).

Show example

Hide example

papai

1. (modifier) good (plural form of pai).

(Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 44;)

Ka kite au i ngā hipi me ngā koati e whāngaia ana rātou ki ngā tarutaru papai (KO 15/3/1883:7). / I saw the sheep and the goats being fed with good grass.

Show example

Hide example


2. (noun) excellence, good state, suitability, good looks, goodness, high quality.

I tino whakamihi a Te Taute ki a Ngāti Porou mō tō rātou kaha ki te whakapai i ō rātou whenua, ki te whakatupu hipi, mō te papai o ā rātou teihana hipi, o ā rātou wūruheti (TP 12/1907:11). / Mr Stout gave great praise to Ngāti Porou for their energy in improving their land, raising sheep and for the good state of their sheep stations and woolsheds.

Show example

Hide example

Ua Haumēne, Te

1. (personal name) (?-1866) Ngāti Ruanui; Taranaki religious leader, warrior and prophet who led the Hauhau and established the Pai Mārire faith.

Hauhau

1. (noun) a movement founded in Taranaki in 1862 by Te Ua Haumēne in response to Pākehā confiscation of Māori land and led to the establishment of the Pai Mārire Christian faith.

I ngā rā o te whawhai Hauhau i te tau 1865 i tautoko tētahi rangatira mana nui i te taha Kāwanatanga (TTT 1/3/1929:953). / In the days of the Hauhau war in 1865 a chief of great prestige supported the Government side.

Show example

Hide example

whakaharahara

1. (modifier) extraordinary, marvellous, remarkable, wonderful, outstanding, phenomenal,exceedingly, exceptionally, terrible, shocking, horrible - an intensifier that follows adjectives, often nui, kino and pai.

He tino nui te mihi ki a ia mō tōna toa nui whakaharahara ki te purei whutupōro mō te tino tīma o Aotearoa (HP 1991:34). / There is great praise for his outstanding skill at playing rugby for New Zealand's top team.
Kua mate noa atu te kaiwhakaako o Sir Ernest Rutherford, tēnā pea ia kei te titiro iho i te rangi ki tana tamaiti nui whakaharahara i raupī ai (TTT 1/10/1927:702). / Sir Ernest Rutherford's teacher died some time ago, but he is probably looking down from heaven at his prodigy who he cherished.
Tēnei te Kāwanatanga o Atareiria te noho tūpato nei, kei te whakatakoto ture ināianei hei ārai atu i te mate kino whakaharahara nei, kāhore hoki pea he mate o te ao i rite ki tēnei te tino kino rawa (MM.TKM 18/5/1859:2). / The Australian Government are remaining cautious and are now setting out laws to protect people against this appalling disease, there is perhaps no disease in the world as bad as this.
Ko taua hoari he mea tuku mai e Te Kuīni mā Henare, he hoari pai whakaharahara (TWMNT 19/6/1872:83). / That sword was given by the Queen to Henare and it was an extraordinary sword.
He mahi taimaha tērā —te kimi kōura; ahakoa uaua tonu te tangata, he iti whakaharahara te kōura e puta mai ana i taua mahi i te rā kotahi (TKP 24/9/1857:2). / Prospecting for gold is arduous work; despite how hard a person works, the gold obtained in one day is infinitesimal.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: wetiweti, inati, hautupua, hautipua, māharo, ka mahi ..., taiea, taumata rau, ka kino te haere, kōhure, ahurei, te kino kē hoki, tapatapahi ana, kātuarehe, mīharo, pai mutunga

New favourites & quiz!

The Te Aka Māori Dictionary mobile app now has the ability to sort your favourite words into folders. Plus, these folders can be turned into a quiz for a fun way to learn words and definitions. Download or update the app today!

iOS Android

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