Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

kato

1. (verb) (-hia) to pluck, break off, pick - especially of leafy crops.

Ko te awa o Ōpihi me ngā manga o te wā kāinga ōna wāhi kato wāta kerehi, i tana kāri rānei kato pūhā ai i ngā marama o te hōtoke (TTR 1996:71). / The Ōpihi River and local creeks were her places to gather watercress, or in the winter months it was her garden to pick pūhā.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: kōwhiti, pika, whawhati, katokato, kōwhiri, whiriwhiri, kōhiti, kiriūka, para, muru, hohore, kōwhaki, hautoa, ngana, koromaki


2. (modifier) plucking, breaking off, picking.

Kua pakaru hoki te hiamoe ki a ia i te nui o wana mahi kato pūhā (TWK 57:10). / She was overcome by sleep because of the amount of pūhā picking she had done.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: whawhaki, hutinga, huti


3. (noun) plucking, breaking off, picking.

Ko tētahi umanga a te iwi ko te kato me te hoko i ngā rongoā Māori (Te Ara 2015). / One tribal enterprise is the picking and sale of Māori herbal remedies.

Show example

Hide example

kato

1. (modifier) flowing, flood (of the tide).

Ko tēnei ka eke mātou ki runga poti, ka hoe ki ngā kāinga i te tai kato, kei eke ki ngā tāhuna onepū, kei kore rawa rānei e tata atu i te mimiti rawa o te wai, ā, takoto maroke ana ngā tāhuna (TWMNT 16/5/1876:114). / And now when we board a boat, we row to the villages on the flowing tide, lest we go aground on the sand banks, or are unable to get close to our destination because of the receding tide and are left high and dry on the sand banks.

Show example

Hide example


2. (noun) flow, current.

I ahu mai te ingoa o Waikato nō te hekenga o Tainui i Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa. Ka tae mai ki Aotearoa, ka tau te waka ki waho i te wahapū o te awa, ka tohu ngā tāngata o runga ki te kaha o te kato o ngā wai o te awa i te wai tai. Nō konei tapaina ai te ingoa o te awa, ko Waikato (Te Ara 2015). / The name Waikato originated during the migration of the Tainui canoe over the Pacific Ocean. When it reached New Zealand and arrived off the mouth of the river, the crew remarked upon the pull of the river current in the sea. So the river was named Waikato.

Show example

Hide example

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