kupu whakarite - Te Aka Māori Dictionary

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kupu whakarite

1. (noun) metaphor, simile, figurative language, figure of speech, cryptic saying.

(Te Kōhure Textbook (Ed. 2): 42;)

Ka uia e Te Kura, "Me pēwhea koe e eke mai ai i te paepae tuangahuru o Uenuku?" He kupu whakarite nā Te Kura i te mea he toa rongonui a Tapaue (NIT 1995:283). / Te Kura asked, "How will you mount the tenth threshold of Uenuku?" This was a simile by Te Kura because Tapaue was a renowned warrior.

Synonyms: whakarite, huahuatau, whakaritenga

Te whakairinga o te kupu te whakapiringa o te tangata

1. The place where words are suspended te place where people come together: the wharenui or ancestral house (the words are suspended or hung in the carvings and kōwhaiwhai).

Nau mai e ngā iwi kia noho pūāhuru tātou i te pūmahana o te whakairinga o te kupu o te whakapiringa o te tangata / come hither people so we may sit close together in the warmth of the ancestral house.

Manu arataki i te kāhui

1. A metaphor in acknowledgement of one's leadership qualities as the leader of the flock.

Ko wai te manu arataki i te kāhui? Māna kē rātou hei whakatika / Who is the leader? She will correct them.

Ahi rarauwhe

1. A bracken fire: an event or person that flares up and dies down.

Kua tīmata anō ia ki te whare korikori me te kaha, heoi anō, he ahi rarauwhe ia kāore e roa ka mutu. /

Amo tītoki

1. A tītoki support: tītoki is a resilent wood. This is a metaphor for someone who bears those qualities in carrying or supporting a person or a kaupapa.

Waimarie ana nā te amo tītoki rā ngā kaupapa nui i kawe / It's fortunate the one with great strenth carried the important initiatives.

He kākā kura

1. An acknowledgement of an esteemed person comparing them to a kākā with red plumage.

Me haere rawa ki te kākā kura kaua ki te kākā waha nui. / Go to the chief not to the orator.

(he) manu tute i te pae

1. A pushy bird on the perch. A person who pushes or nudges others with encouragement.

Ko Mere te manu tute i te pae i te hui ā-komiti o te marae / Mere was proding things along at the marae committee meeting.

He maonga āwhā

1. A break in the storm: a time of calm in caos.

Kei pēnei mai koe kua mutu tana riri; he maonga āwhā noa iho tēnei / Don't mistakingly think his anger is over; it's just a break in the storm.

Hoe kōnukenuke

1. A crooked paddle: a crooked paddle refering to an unreliable person.

Nōu te hē i whakapono ai koe ki tērā tangata mutunga mai nei o te hoe kōnukenuke / it's your fault you put your faith in that absolutely unreliable person.

Hoe urungi

1. The steering paddle: said of someone who directs the journey of a group or initiative.

Ko ia te hoe urungi o te kaupapa / she is the steerer of the initiative.

Honu manawa rahi

1. A turtle with a big heart (breath): said of a person who has the endurance and perseveres like a turtle that journeys the ocean.

Tō mahi nui hoki e te honu manawa rahi / what an amazing feat you the one of great endurance.

Huia tū rae

1. A huia feather that stands upon the forehead; said of someone who stands out in the crowd. Can also mean to be unique.

Titiro ki te huia tū rae e tarapī haere ana i te kapa / look at that unique one swaggering about in the group.

2. One who wears the huia plume in the topekura style upon the forehead with a tīpare (headband), meaning one who stands out in a crowd, with unique qualities.

Huri katoa ana te iwi ki a ia nōna ka kuhu mai ki te whare arā ia te huia tū rae. / Everybody turned to her as she came into the house

Ika haehae kupenga

1. A fish that tears the net: someone who is quarrelsome.

He rite tonu te tohe a te ika haehae kupenga rā / that trouble maker is always arguing.

Ika whakawera

1. A hot fish: said of someone who has a temper.

Te hūneinei hoki o te ika whakawera rā / how vexed that hot-headed one is.

Iti pou kapua huna tini whetū

1. A small dark cloud that hides many stars: something small that mars ruins the good things of an initiative.

Kei noho tō mahi hē nei hei iti pou kapua huna tini whetū / Least your wrongs become a cloud that blocks out all of the stars.

Kākā haetara

1. A speaker that is envied due to their oratorical skills.

Hīnawanawa katoa ana te iwi i te wehi o te kākā haetara i a ia e whakamīreirei ana i te marae areare a Tū. / Everybody had goosebumps in awe of the much envied speaker as he strut on the courtyard of Tū.

Kākahi whakairoiro

1. An embelisded whale: said of a leader or esteemed person.

Mā wai rā te kākahi whakairoiro e mihi? / Who will acknowledge the distinguised leader?

Kākahu taratara

1. Clothes of mourning: referred to symbolically when someone is in mourning.

E mau ana ia i te kākahu taratara / she is mourning.

Kākā waha nui

1. A metaphor comparing a speaker (orator) to the kākā (Nestor meridionalis).

I reira rā te kākā waha nui o te iwi e tū ana e taki whakapapa ana i runga i te marae / The orator of the people was there recounting geneaology on the marae.

Kāwei o te hue

1. The shoot or tentacle of the hue: in relation to connections made through geneaology.

E toro ana te kāwei o te hue ki te rāwhiti ki te uranga mai o te rā / the geneaological lines stretch to the east to the rising of the sun.

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