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.
See also ka pai
Synonyms: hūmārika, rēhia, kakato, rawe, rekareka, hāneanea, ngohengohe, manini, āhuareka, ātaahua, hūmārie, reka, āhumehume, pārekareka, hūmārire, harakoa, ngāwari, 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.
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.
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.
See also Paimārire
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.
pai mutunga
1. great, wonderful, marvellous - an idiom used to express how outstandingly good something is.
Synonyms: ka kino te haere, kātuarehe, mīharo, māharo, whakaharahara
tōna [pai] nei
1. so so, not too bad, quite good, OK I guess, somewhat, sort of - an idiom used to give qualified praise. Also used to indicate qualified agreement with someone else's statement.
(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 140-141;)
I pēhea tāu hararei? Tōna pai nei. / How was your holiday? It was OK.
Tau: Kei te wera tō kawhe? Ira: Mmm tōna wera nei (HJ 2012:41). / Tau: Is your coffee hot? Ira: Mmm it's OK I guess.
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.
tana hia pai
1. he’s got a nerve, she’s got a nerve, how dare she/he - an idiom.
Pare: I rongo anō koe kua hoki mai te rōia nāna i whānako ngā moni a te marae? Rangi: Tana hia pai kē ki te hoki pēnei mai (HKK 1999:82). / Pare: Did you hear that the lawyer who stole the marae's money has returned? Rangi: He's got a nerve to come back here.
