Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

karanga

1. (verb) (-hia,-tia) to call, call out, shout, summon.

Ka karangahia e mātau te ingoa, ka whai haere mai i a mātau (HP 1991:20). / When we called its name it would follow us.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: umere, hāmama, haute, , ōi, tīwaha, hauma, hāparangi


2. (noun) formal call, ceremonial call, welcome call, call - a ceremonial call of welcome to visitors onto a marae, or equivalent venue, at the start of a pōwhiri. The term is also used for the responses from the visiting group to the tangata whenua ceremonial call. Karanga follow a format which includes addressing and greeting each other and the people they are representing and paying tribute to the dead, especially those who have died recently. The purpose of the occasion is also addressed. Skilled kaikaranga are able to use eloquent language and metaphor and to encapsulate important information about the group and the purpose of the visit.

Kātahi ka pā te karanga, “Haere mai! Haere mai!” (JPS 1929:17). / Then the call went out, "Welcome! Welcome!"

Show example

Hide example

See also kaikaranga

pepe

1. (verb) (-a,-hia,-tia) to imitate bird calls, using a leaf to imitate bird calls.

He tohunga taku pāpā ki te pepe manu ki te rau karamū (PK 2008:626). / My father is an expert at attracting birds by imitating their call with a karamū leaf.
Ka mau ki te raurēkau, ka pepea (W 1971:277). / He took the large-leaved coprosma leaf and used it to imitate bird calls.

Show example

Hide example


2. (noun) call leaf - leaf used for imitating bird calls to attract them.

Mā Mātete e whakatangi te pepe (W 1971:277). / Mātete will play the leaf to attract the birds.

Show example

Hide example

peka

1. (verb) (-ina) to call into a place, call on, visit, stop off.

Ki te kite ia i ētahi tāngata o ētahi iwi kē, o ētahi hapū kē, ka karangatia e ia kia peka ki te kāinga, ahakoa ope tino tāngata, ope ngoringori noa iho rānei ka karangatia e ia ki te kāinga, ka manaakitia e ia (JPS 1927:252). / If she saw people of other tribes or clans, she would call to them to stop off at the village; whether a party of important people or one of lowly status, they would be invited by her to the village and given hospitably.

Show example

Hide example


2. (noun) branch (of a tree, river, etc.).

Ko te rākau tēnā e muia ana e te manu. E kore e haere noa mai tōna waka, ka tangohia mai anō he peka o taua rākau (JPS 1893:123). / That is a tree upon which birds flock together in numbers. If canoes were departing they would take branches of that tree.

Show example

Hide example

See also kaupeka, pekapeka


3. (noun) branch (of an organisation, etc.).

Mā te hēkeretari o ia peka e tuhi atu ia tau ki te kaitiaki moni o te Kotahitanga kia kotahi hereni hei moni whakauru mō ia mema o tōna peka ki te Kotahitanga (TP 3/9/1909:7). / The secretary of each branch will record in writing to the treasurer of the Kotahitanga on the one shilling subscription fee for each member of his branch.

Show example

Hide example

tio

1. (verb) to cry, call (of a bird).

Ko tēnei manu, ko te kōmakohuariki, ki te haere ngā waka ki te hī hāpuku, ka tio taua manu, arā ka tangi, e kore rawa e mau tētehi hāpuku (W 1971:131). / If the canoes go off to fish for groper, this bird, the kōmakohuariki, will call and not a single groper will be caught.

Show example

Hide example

waea ki tawhiti

1. (noun) toll-call.

pehe

1. call leaf - leaf used for imitating bird calls to attract them.

mea

1. (verb) (meinga,meingatia,meatingia,-tia) to say, speak, do, deal with, think, intend, make, use.

Ka mea te iwi ki a Tā Hōri Kerei, kia haere ki te whakamahau o te whare o Te Mānihera kia harirū rātou (TW 20/4/1878:180). / The people asked Sir George Grey to go to the verandah of Mr Maunsell's house so that they could shake hands.
Ka hangā he tāone ki te kūititanga meinga ana te ingoa ko Panama (TWMNT 27/8/1873:102). / A town was built at the isthmus and it is called Panama.

Show example

Hide example

See also meinga, meingatia, meatingia

Synonyms: kōrero, waihanga, whakahangahanga, whaihanga, mahi, hanga, āhua, pepeha, hamumu, wani, whakahua, kīkī, puaki, , hangahanga


2. (noun) thing, object, property, one, reason, thingumajig, thingy, thingummy, whatcha-me-call-it, what-d'you-call-it, the one, that thing, whatsit - a word used to replace the name of something, often when a speaker has momentarily forgotten the correct word. It may function as a personal name, a location word, a noun or a verb (see other sub entries).


3. (personal name) thingumabob, thingamy, what's-his-name, so-and-so - a word used when one has forgotten, or does not know, the person's name.

I kōrero au ki a Mea - Ko wai tōna ingoa? / I talked to Thingumebob - what's her name?

Show example

Hide example


4. (location) such-and-such a place - a word used for a place when one has forgotten the name.

I tae rātou ki Mea - kua wareware te ingoa i a au. / They arrived at such and such a place - I've forgotten the name.

Show example

Hide example


5. (particle) soon (to denote a lapse of time).


6. (particle) Used with he and a verb as an alternative passive for past time.

(Te Māhuri Textbook (Ed. 2): 42;)

He mea tūraki te whare e te taraka. / The house was demolished by the truck.

Show example

Hide example


7. such-and-such, so-and-so, somewhere, at some time - used before a noun, location, people or time to generalise or avoid saying a specific name.

Paku noa iho te kī atu ki konei tātou, e kare mā, ā mea wā ki mea wāhi, e kare mā, me noho tahi tātou, e kare mā (HM 4/1996:1). / We speak just briefly here, my friends, but at some time in the future and somewhere we will sit together.
He aha i whiriwhiria ai ko mea mā hai haere ki te Kura Āpiha i Trentham (HP 1991:117). / Why were he and the others selected to go to the Officers School at Trentham.
Koinei te pai o ēnei wānanga, ka haramai a mea tohunga me ōna mātauranga, a mea tohunga me ōna, hei āta whakaaroaro, hei āta tuitui haere mā te hunga whakarongo (HJ 2012:180). / This is the good thing about these seminars, each expert comes with her knowledge for the audience to mull over and blend together.

Show example

Hide example

tapa

1. (verb) (-a,-ia,-ina,-ngia) to call, name.

I taku whānautanga, ka hiahia taku matua kēkē ki te tapa i tōna ingoa Ruakāwhena ki a au (HP 1991:17). / When I was born my uncle wanted to give his name, Ruakāwhena, to me.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: tapatapa, hua, whakaingoa, hau, ingoa, tūā


2. (verb) (-a,-ia,-ina,-ngia) to recite, perform.

Kātahi a Rauarikiao ka whakahau ki te tini o te ngārara kia tōia tō rātou waka. Ka tapaia te ngeri tō e Rauarikiao, te kīnga katoatanga o te waha o te ngārara ki tā rātou ngeri, i a rātou e tō ana i tō rātou waka (TWMNT 22/8/1876:202). / Rauarikiao then commanded the multitude of reptiles to drag their canoe. Then Rauarikiao recited the canoe launching chant and all the reptiles joined in with their ngeri as they dragged their canoe.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: whakarite, whakaatu, whakaataata, whakahua, whakahaere, whakatūtū, mahi, hahaka, haka, tātaku, kauwhau, kauhau, taki, whakahuahua, pānui, whakataki, takitaki

1. (verb) to shout, call.

Ko te reo i rongo ia i reira he weka e ana mai i roto i te awa (JPS 1926:247). / The voice she heard there was a weka calling in the gully.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: karanga, umere, hāmama, haute, ōi, tīwaha, hauma, hāparangi


2. (verb) to pout, put out the lips - an expression of displeasure and sullenness when not getting one's own way.

Ka kī te matua me noho ia i te kāinga, ka ngā ngutu o te kōtiro. / When the father said that she must stay home the girl pouted.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: tupere, , tāperu, whakamito, weru


3. (verb) to droop, sag, hang down.

He tangata tū poto, he porotaka te māhunga, he mangu ngā kanohi, he māngai nui e ana i ngā pī (TTR 1994:26). / He was a short man with a round head, dark eyes, and a large mouth drooping at the corners.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: tapore, tāwharu


4. (noun) shout.

Heoi, ka tangi i konei te a te iti, a te rahi (NM 1928:135). / And so the shouting of the unimportant and the people of rank was heard here.

Show example

Hide example

1. (verb) to resound, make an inarticulate sound.

Ko te kiripaka a Ngātoro-i-rangi anō i titi ai ki te tihi o Tongariro i puta ake ai ko Ngāuruhoe, te ngāwhā e rā i te tihi o te maunga (JPS 1893:223). / The flint which Ngātoro-o-rangi stuck into the summit of Tongariro which caused Ngāuruhoe, the volcano that roars on the summit of the mountain.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: kotokoto, māorooro, tōiriiri, oro, pakū, paoro, haruru, hau, tōiri, papahū, ngātoro, tūpapahū, pohū, pakō, papā, pāorooro


2. (verb) to erupt, bubble up, boil.

(Te Māhuri Textbook (Ed. 2): 77-84; Te Māhuri Video Tapes (Ed. 1): 1;)

Kātahi a Mākereti ka huri, ka kitea tonutia atu i te ngāwhā, i a Papakura e ana, ā, ka whakautu tonu atu, ko Papakura tōna ingoa, arā, ko Maggie Papakura (TTR 1996:120). / Then Mākareti turned and saw the geyser called Papakura bubbling away and she answered immediately that Papakura was her name, that is Maggie Papakura.

Show example

Hide example


3. (verb) to make a booming sound, hoot - the call made by birds such as the bittern.

Kei te matuku e ana i te repo, ' .' (TKO 30/7/1921:5) / The bittern makes a deep booming call in the swamp, 'Hū.'

Show example

Hide example


4. (verb) to be rumoured.

I haere tonu ngā whakapae mō ngā mau herehere e tūkino, e kōhurutia ana (TTR 2000:10). / It was rumoured that prisoners were mistreated and murdered.

Show example

Hide example


5. (verb) to call out (as a signal), cooee.

Rongo ana au i te kaikaranga e mai ana ka tangohia e au ngā tīni me te kara o taku hōiho kia wawe ai te tae ki ngā poti i tātahi (Wh3 2003:14). / As soon as I heard the caller cooeeing, I took off the chains and the collar of my horse so that I could be at the boat at the beach quickly.

Show example

Hide example


6. (interjection) cooee.


7. (noun) explosive sound, eruption (volcanic).

I te pō o te 10 o Hune 1886, arā, i te pō o te , e 62 ngā tāngata i whakaruruhia e Te Paea i tōna whare i Te Wairoa (TTR 1994:25). / On the night of 10 June 1886, that is the night of the eruption, Sophia sheltered 62 people in her house at Te Wairoa.

Show example

Hide example


8. (noun) tenor, drift (of a speech).

Ko te o tāna whaikorero, kia tūpato kei pēhia tō tātou reo e te kāwanatanga. / The tenor of his speech was to be cautious lest our language be suppressed by the government.

Show example

Hide example

kairau

1. (noun) prostitute, courtesan, loose woman, slut, whore, harlot, call girl.

Ko koutou ia, awhi mai ki konei, e ngā tama a te wahine mākutu, e ngā uri o te tangata pūremu, o te wahine kairau (PT Ihāia 57:3). / But you, draw near, the sons of the sorceress, the descendants of the adulterer and the whore.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: kaikairau, karihika, kaimahi kairau


2. (noun) halfback (rugby), scrum half.

karanga manu

1. (noun) bird-calling flute - a generic term for instruments and techniques used to mimic and attract birds using a variety of leaves or small pieces of bone or stone that have a small hole placed in a position that allows them to be blown over.

He nui ngā momo taonga karanga manu a te Māori hai whakataurite ki te tangi o ngā manu (TWK 41:14). / There are many types of instruments of the Māori to imitate the sounds of birds.

Show example

Hide example

kārangaranga

1. (verb) (-tia) to call frequently, frequently spoken about.

Ka kārangaranga haere tonu tō mātau māmā, korekore ana (HP 1991:19). / Our mother continued calling, but there was nothing.

Show example

Hide example


2. (modifier) echoing, often spoken about, well-known, renowned - often in the phrase pari kārangaranga (echoing cliffs, cliffs often spoken about).

Kohi: Ko te kūrae i waho o Whakatāne, i te taha rāwhiti. He pou whenua kārangaranga nō tērā takutai, e kaha ana te haere i roto i ngā waiata (M 2004:358). / Kohi: The headland outside of Whakatāne on the eastern side. It is a well-known landmark of that coast, and it is often quoted in songs.

Show example

Hide example

karanga weka

1. (noun) flute for calling weka.

(Te Māhuri Textbook (Ed. 2): 165;)

Ko te karanga weka he kakau poto tōna, ā, ko tētahi pito ka piko whakarunga. Kotahi noa te wenewene (TWK 41:15). / The flute for calling weka has a short stem and one end curves upwards. It has just one fingerhole.

Show example

Hide example

1. (verb) (-a,-ia,-tia) to say, speak, express, utter, call, mention, tell, designate.

(Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 7;)

E kīia ana i pāngia ia e tētahi mate pīwa (TP 8/1899:s2). / It is said that he was suffering from a fever.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: whakahua, whakahuahua, mea, pepeha, hamumu, wani, kīkī, puaki, kōrero


2. (noun) saying, word.

(Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 7;)

Ko te , i whānau a Hōne (Hōni) Tāmati Pereki i Ōrākei, i Ākarana i te 4 o Āperira 1853 (TTR 1996:7). / The word is that John Thomas Blake was born at Ōrākei, Auckland, on 4 April 1853.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: rerenga kōrero, pepeha, kupu, whakapepeha, kīnga, tūātau, kīanga

kōkiri

1. (verb) (-tia) to thrust forward, attack, call, charge, rush forward.

Mehemea e kapi ana a waho o te ngutu, kōkiritia tonutia ki waenganui tonu o te matua, engari kia inaki tonu te rere o ngā toa hāpai rākau ki mua (JPS 1919:86). / If outside the entrance is closely guarded, attack right at the middle of the army, but rush as a tightly packed group of warriors with weapons raised in front.

Show example

Hide example


2. (verb) (-hia,-tia) to champion (a cause), promote, advocate, lead.

Rua tekau ngā tau e kōkiri ana ia i ngā kerēme nunui a Te Tai Tokerau ki te Karauna, ko ia tonu tō rātou tino kaiwawao (TTR 1998:137). / For 20 years he championed the important North Auckland claims against the Crown and he was their leading advocate.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: whakapiki, hapahapai, whakatairanga, whakatuarā, tautīnei, takitaki, whaitaki, whakataki, , tātaki, huataki, arataki, ārahi, whakahaere, kaea, whakahaere tikanga, matā, taki, konumatā


3. (verb) to rise in a column.

I te ata rawa ka kitea te wai e kōkiri ake ana i te moana, ā i kapi katoa taua wāhi i te mamaoa (TWMNT 11/8/1874:206). / In the morning the water was seen rising in a column from the sea and that place was covered with vapour.

Show example

Hide example


4. (noun) attack, assault, charge, offensive, strike.

Nō te Oketopa ka ārahina e rātou ko Tāreha me ētahi atu o te kāwai rangatira te matua o Heretaunga ki te tuki i te pā o Puketapu. Engari i hanepī te kōkiri (TTR 1994:190). / In October he, Tāreha with some other chiefs led the Hastings contingent to attack Puketapu pā. But the attack was aborted.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: tukituki, kino, anuanu, mōrihariha, harehare, piro, hākiki, whakaweriweri, weriweri, kerakera, mataharehare, whakaparahako, maninohea


5. (noun) body of men rushing forward, attack party, forward movement of a kapa haka.

Tokoiwa te kōkiri a Rāpata, kotahi tekau tā Piki kōkiri (W 1971:130). / Robert's attack party was nine men, that of Piki was ten.

Show example

Hide example


6. (noun) advocacy, promotion, backing, championing.

I te tau 1924 i tētahi huihuinga a te whakaminenga o te Hāhi, ka mana te kōkiri a te rōpū taituarā o Tumutara kia whakatūria a ia hei ūpoko mō te Hāhi Ringatū, arā, ko tōna ingoa hāhi ko pīhopa (TTR 1998:231). / At an assembly of the congregation of the Church in 1924, the advocacy of Tumutara’s supporters succeeded in getting him elected head of the Ringatū Church with the church title of bishop.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: tautoko, taunaki, whakapiki, kakenga, whakatairanga


7. (noun) meteor.


8. (noun) leatherjacket, Parika scaber - a fish, uniform or mottled greenish grey. Body ovate, diamond-shaped, compressed.

kūī

1. (verb) to call (like a shining cuckoo).

Ka rangona te tangi a te pīpīwharauroa e kūī ana i taku kāinga ia kōanga, ia kōanga. / At my home the sound of the shining cuckoo calling kūī is heard each spring.

Show example

Hide example


2. (noun) call of the shining cuckoo.

Me tioro haere anō e koe tēnei reta e whai ake nei ki ngā marae o tama mā, o hine mā, arā, me, 'kūī, kūī, whiti, whiti, whitiwhitiora' (HKW 1/11/1900:8). / The following letter should be broadcast to the marae of our young men and women, it should call 'kūī kūī, whiti, whiti, whitiwhitiora'.

Show example

Hide example

moi

1. (interjection) call for a dog.

Kātahi anō ia ka whakatau pēnei nā, "Moi! Moi! Moi! Moi!" (NM 1928:20). / Then he eventually called like this, "Moi! Moi! Moi! Moi!"

Show example

Hide example

pararē

1. (verb) to speak or call out loudly, bawl - as with other words for shouting, it is the mouth, rather than the person that does the action.

E hoa, e Mohi, kei kawea koe e te reka o ngā moni a Te Kāwanatanga, ā pērā ai koe me te mōkai kākā e noho rā i tana pae, ā ka puta te pōkai kākā makā, ka pararē kau te waha o te mōkai rā ki ana hoa, ka kapekapetau kau ana parirau ki te rere māna, me pēhea i te pōria e mau rā i tana waewae (TW 11/3/1876:134). / My friend, Mohi, don't be carried away by the sweetness of the Government's money or you'll be like a pet kākā sitting on its perch and when the flock of wild kākā appears the pet calls out to its mates and it flaps its wings to fly how can it with the ring holding its leg.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: auē, hāparangi, tīwaha

Tari Mātauranga, Te

1. (loan) Department of Education (now called Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga).

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