taniwha
1. (noun) water spirit, monster, dangerous water creature, powerful creature, chief, powerful leader, something or someone awesome - taniwha take many forms from logs to reptiles and whales and often live in lakes, rivers or the sea. They are often regarded as guardians by the people who live in their territory, but may also have a malign influence on human beings.
Heoi, ka noho nei te taniwha, ko tana mahi, he patu i ngā tira haere; arā, he kai i ngā tāngata, horopuku tonu, ahakoa he kawenga tā te tangata, ka horomia pukutia e taua taniwha - ahakoa he tamaiti i runga i te hākui e waha ana, ka heke tahi rāua ki roto i te kōpū o te taniwha nei - ahakoa ngā tokotoko me ngā taiaha, ka pau katoa te horo (JPS 1905:200). / And so the taniwha remained there. His occupation was killing the travelling parties - that is, he used to swallow them whole, even if they had loads on their backs they were swallowed up by that taniwha - mothers carrying children on their backs, they went down together into the belly of this taniwha - even walking sticks and taiaha, they were completely swallowed up.
Ko Ureia e kōrerotia nei, ehara i te taniwha patu tangata, rumaki tangata rānei. Engari e karangatia ana a Ureia he tupua, he mauri nō ngā tāngata o tēnei moana o Tīkapa, arā ko Hauraki. Arā he tohu mana o ngā tāngata o tēnei moana...Otiia, e rua āhua taniwha. Tētehi āhua he kaitangata, arā he rumaki tangata ki te wai kia mate ai. Otiia, e kore aua tū taniwha e rumaki noa i te tangata. Mā te hara anō, arā mā te haere ki runga i ngā wāhi tapu, tanumanga tūpāpaku nei. Wāhi tapu rānei, whare o ngā tohunga o aua tū taniwha; wāhi tapu rānei, nohoanga o ngā taniwha. Mā te pērā anake ka horomia ai e ērā tū taniwha...Ko Ureia he ika tonu, he ika nunui atu i te parāoa (JPS 1946:30). / Ureia being discussed, was not a taniwha that killed or drowned people. But Ureia was called a tupua, a mauri of the people of this sea of Tīkapa, that is of Hauraki. In other words it was a symbol of the mana of the people of this sea...But there are two forms of taniwha. One kind is a man-eater, that is it drowns people in water to kill them, but, those taniwha do not drown people without reason, but do so because of an offence, such as going on to prohibited places such as are the burial places of the dead; or the sacred places such as are the houses of the tohunga of those taniwha; or the sacred places which are the places where the taniwha live. It is only for such things would they be swallowed up by those taniwha...Ureia was actually a marine animal, one larger than a sperm whale.
ka mau te wehi!
1. (interjection) how terrible! how terrific! fantastic! awesome! how frightening - often used to praise something or someone's work. Sometimes also used to express the opposite or to express awe, amazement or fear.
(Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 106; Te Pihinga Audio Tapes/CDs (Ed. 2): exercise 40; Te Kōhure Textbook (Ed. 2): 196;)
Ka mau te wehi o ngā waituhi a Ralph Hōtere. / Ralph Hōtere's paintings are fantastic.
kei reira (katoa)!
1. that's the one! right on! she's/he's got it! it's his/her strong point! it's his forte! fabulous!, awesome - an idiom used to praise someone's ability.
(Te Kōhure Textbook (Ed. 2): 196;)
Kua kite koe i a Tarati e pūkana ana? Āna, e hoa. Kei reira! / Have you seen Dorothy doing the pūkana? Yes, indeed, my friend. It's her forte!
Synonyms: kei konā (katoa)!
kino kē koe
1. gee you're the one, you're good alright, you're too much, awesome - an idiom in which koe may be replaced for other appropriate personal pronouns, etc.
(Te Kōhure Textbook (Ed. 2): 77;)
See also te kino kē hoki
koia kei a [koe]
1. good on you, get you, you're the bomb, you're awesome, it's good that ..., no flies on you, good for you - an idiom supporting and praising someone's efforts but can also be used to criticise what someone has said or done, implying that it will come back to bite them.
(Te Kōhure Textbook (Ed. 2): 77;)
Koia kei a Hare e patipati nei kia whakapikihia tana utu. / Harry is pretty smart trying to get a pay rise.
2. what a cheek - an idiom to criticise what someone has said or done indicating that at some time in the future it will come back to bite her.
Koia kei a Iriata e inoi nei kia whakapikihia tana utu ā-hāora mai i te tekau tāra ki te rua tekau tāra (HKK 1999:85). / What a cheek Iriata has in asking for her hourly rate to be raised from ten dollars to twenty dollars.
wanawana
1. (verb) to fear, thrill, quiver, shiver, trill, inspire.
Ka wanawana te kōrero a tuahangata (W 1971:478). / What the main male character said was inspiring.
Synonyms: hūnonoi, harawiwini, tuawiri, wiri, whakawiri, harawiniwini, tūhauwiri, tūngāwiri, ārohirohi, kūreperepe, ngaue, ngāoraora, oioi, rū, kārohirohi, kapakapa, wiriwiri, whakakakapa, ore, kakapa, māueue, māwewe, kereū, tāwariwari, tīkorikori, aroarohaki, arowhaki, arohaki, oreore
2. (modifier) fearing, thrilling, quivering, shivering.
Kāore au i rongo te taha i mate ai, i tangohia ai koe ki te kura winiwini, ki te kura wanawana (M 2004:404). / I have not yet learnt where death took place, or where you were struck down with some fearsome and gruesome weapon (M 2004:405).
3. (noun) fear, thrill, quivering, shivering, fearsome, frightening, formidable, awesome, exciting.
Otirā ko tōna iwi anake i kite i tōna wanawana (TTR 1996:91). / But only his tribe saw how inspiring he was.
Synonyms: rūrūtake, kunāwhea, korohāwini, tūhauwiri, tūngāwiri, wheoi, aroarowhaki, wiriwiri, ārohirohi, hawa
4. (noun) spines, bristles, threads.
Ka tango te wahine rā i te ngāruru i roto o tana kāwhiu, te putanga ki waho ka kite ia i ngā wanawana i te hei. Ka unuhia e ia ki waho, ka heia ki tōna kakī, ka kairārungatia e ia. Ka pā te aroha o te tangata rā, o Tahito ki a ia (JPS 1926:317). / That woman took out the Cook's turban shell mollusc in her basket, and, when she took it out, she saw the strands of the neck ornament. She pulled it out and put it round her neck, where she wore it while eating. Then the love of that man, Tahito, affected her.
wehi
1. (verb) (-ngia) to be awesome, afraid, fear.
Ko te take tuatoru i kore ai te Maori e tohu taonga he wehi nō te Maori kei kīia ia he hākere, he matapiko, he kaiponu (TP 7/1907:4). / The third reason that the Māori would not accumulate possessions is the fear that they might be said to be stingy, mean and covetous.
See also ka mau te wehi!
2. (verb) to be terrible.
Ka wehi ngā kākahu o te wahine rā, tāwekoweko ana (W 1971:407). / The clothes of that woman are terrible, they're quite ragged.
3. (noun) dread, fear, something awesome, a response of awe in reaction to ihi.
He mea whakairo hoki, he mea kōwhaiwhai, he mea tukutuku, hei pupuri i te ātanga, i te wehi, i te haratau o ērā taonga a ō tātau tīpuna i roto i tēnei o ngā whare o te Atua (TTT 1/12/1925:336). / And it was carved and decorated with rafter paintings and lattice-work to retain the beauty, awesomeness and relevance of those treasures of our ancestors in this particular house of God.
2. (adjective) be remarkable, fearful, monstrous.
He hautupua ngā mihi i ūwhia ki runga ki a ia, nāna rā a Tūranga me ōna iwi i hāpai (TTR 1996:21). / Remarkable praise was bestowed on her for her advancement of Gisborne and its people.
Synonyms: inati, hautipua, taumata rau, tapatapahi ana, whakaharahara
3. (noun) talented performer, star, idol, celebrity, awesome being.
Ko ngā hautupua nā rāua ngā waka nei i ārahi mai i Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa ko Niua, ko Araiteuru, ngā mōkaikai a Nukutawhiti (TP 9/1913:5). / The awesome beings that led these canoes across the Pacific Ocean were Niua and Araiteuru, the pets of Nukutawhiti.
ka mutu koe
1. you're the one, you're marvellous, you're neat all right, you're awesome, you're too much - an idiom to praise someone or their work.
Tio: Kotahi rau paiheneti taku māka mō taku whakamātautau pāngarau, e Mā. Whaea: Ka mutu koe! / Joe: My mark for my maths exam was a hundred percent, Mum. Mother: You're neat all right!
kauanuanu
1. (verb) (-tia) to respect, think highly of, admire, esteem, revere, venerate.
Kauanuanutia ana ia e tōna whānau, e ōna hoa me te hunga hī ika hoki o te motu (TTR 2000:57). / He was respected by his family and friends and the fishing fraternity throughout the country.
Synonyms: whakakoha, whakarangatira, whakamiha, kōtua, rāhiri, maruwehi, ngākau whakaute, whakaute
2. (modifier) respected, thought highly of, admired, esteemed, revered, venerated, inspirational, awesome.
Ki te tīma Ōpango, he tangata kauanuanu tō rātou kāpene, a Richie McCraw. / In the opinion of the All Black team their captain, Richie McCraw, was an inspirational person.
3. (noun) deference, respect, esteem, admiration, veneration.
Ahakoa te uaua o te mahi, i tōna kauanuanu ki tōna tupuna ka ū tonu ia kia oti rā anō taua mahi. / Despite the difficulty of the task, because of her respect for her grandfather she stuck to the task until it was finally completed.
2. (adjective) be awesome, impressive frightening, alarming, fearsome.
He wehiwehi rawa te āhua o ngā kōrero o te matenga o ētahi kāinga e toru kei Mahatuheti (he porowini o Amerika) i te pakarutanga o ngā puna wai nunui (TWMNT 30/6/1874:165). / The details of the destruction of three villages in Massachusetts (one of the American States) by the reservoirs bursting, are very alarming.
3. (modifier) awesome, impressive frightening, alarming, fearsome.
I a rātou i roto i te ngahere ka rongo i ngā reo wehiwehi o te pō. / While they were in the forest they heard the frightening voices of the night.
4. (noun) dread, fear, something awesome, awe.
Ko te wehiwehi kau ki te Pākehā (TMT 15/7/1861:10). / Fear of the Pākehā for no particular reason.
5. (noun) spines (e.g. of a dorsal fin).
2. (adjective) be awesome, impressive, frightening, alarming, fearsome.
3. (modifier) awesome, impressive, frightening, alarming, fearsome.
4. (noun) dread, fear, something awesome, awe.
He tino nui te wewehi o rāua ko Te Kōti ki a rāua (TTR 1996:106). / He and Mr Coates had a very high regard for each other.
5. (noun) spines (e.g. of a dorsal fin).
[nāu tāu] mahi
1. you're the one, you're good alright, you're too much, you're awesome - an idiom in which nāu tāu may be replaced as in the examples below.
Nāu tāu mahi, e hine. Kāore i tua atu i a koe (HJ 2012:27). / You're good alright, girl. There's nobody better than you.
Rangi: Me whakawhiwhi noa te tūranga ki a ia, me pānui rānei ki ngā nūpepa? Pare: E! Nāna tāna mahi - hei aha i tiro ai ki wāhi kē! (HKK 1999:26). / Rangi: Should we just give her the position, or should it be advertised in the newspaper? Pare: Of course! She's the best - there's no point in looking elsewhere!
He mahi uaua ki te nuinga, engari he māmā noa iho ki tērā tokorua. Nā rāua tonu tā rāua mahi (HJ 2012:27). / It's a difficult task for most, but quite easy for that pair. They're the best.
2. (adjective) be pretty good, not too bad - a colloquialism used to say that a person, or something a person has done, is good or quite good and perhaps better than expected.
He autaia tonu te kōhine rā ki te kōrero Māori. / The girl over there is pretty good at speaking Māori.
3. (modifier) pretty good, not too bad.
Arā anō ētahi tāngata autaia nei te matatau ki te reo (HM 2/1994:3). / There are some other people who are pretty fluent in the language.
Synonyms: nanakia, tōna [pai] nei
4. (modifier) difficult, troublesome - when used before a noun.
Ko ngā taitamariki tonu i kaha ki te whakawai i ō rātou pakeke ki te hokohoko i ō rātou whenua. Ka noho kino te iwi. Tautohetohe tonu ngā tamariki ki ngā pakeke. Ko Rāniera Te Iho-o-te-rangi rāua ko Te Mānihera Te Rangi-taka-i-waho me te tama anō hoki a Te Hiko, me Wī Tāmehana ngā autaia totohe nei (TTR 1990:190) / It was the younger youths who urged their elders to sell their lands. This caused conflict amongst the tribe. The children argued with the elders. Rāniera Te Iho-o-te-rangi and Te Mānihera Te Rangi-taka-i-waho along with Te Hiko's son, Wī Tamehana, were involved in this troublesome dispute.
5. (noun) fellow, bloke, guy, chap, tricky character - sometimes implies a sense of mischief.
I reira ngā koroheke o Taranaki e kōhumuhumu, e tūmatakuru ana ki te whakahīhī rawa o te autaia nei, kei te tamariki tonu ka tū ki te marae o te Kīngi (TTR 2000:30). / There the Taranaki elders were whispering and in consternation at the arrogance of this bloke, who was still a child daring to stand on the King’s marae.
6. (noun) amazing contraption, wondrous sight, extraordinary thing - a term used for something strange, unusual, unfamiliar or awesome. Sometimes a sense of humour is involved in the use of the term.
Katahi ka rere taua autaia nei. Aeha! Me te aha? Me te uira ka hiko i te rangi tōna rite o te haere. Kīhai i mau i te kanohi te hopu te āhua o ngā otaota me ngā rākau o taua whenua i te tere o te haere o taua rerewē (TWMNT 19/5/1874:138). / Then that amazing contraption sped on. Amazing! What was it like? It travelled like the lightning in the heavens. The eye could not catch the appearance of the vegetation and the trees of the land, such was the speed of the train.
