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Historical loan words

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Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

painga

1. (noun) good, well-being, benefit, gain.

He aha te painga o ngā kai reka a te Pākehā - o te rare, o te keke, o te purini, o te winika, o te pepa, o te waipiro? (TKO 31/5/1921:9). / What benefit is there in the sweet food of the Pākehā - lollies, cakes, puddings, vinegar, pepper and alcohol?

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whai painga

1. (verb) to nourish, value, benefit.

I whai painga ngā mahi a Tūtaki ki te whakahauhau i ngā mema Māori kia noho tonu ki te Kotahitanga o ngā Tāngata Mahi o Niu Tīreni (TTR 1996:263). / Tūtaki was instrumental in urging the Māori members to remain in the New Zealand Workers' Union.

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See also whaipainga

Synonyms: whaipainga, whakawairākau, whāngai


2. (modifier) useful, valuable, beneficial.

Tīmata ake ana tana mahi tiaki whare mā te whānau o David Warren, he tangata whakatipu momo hipi, miraka kau nei tāna mahi; nāna nei i hoatu he kau e rua nei, ngā kākahu whai painga tonu hoki o āna tamariki kua pakupaku rawa nei mō rātou (TTR 2000:28). / She began housekeeping for the family of David Warren, a sheep breeder and dairy farmer, who gave her two cows and useful clothing that his children had outgrown.

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See also whaipainga


3. (noun) benefit, value, goodness, utility.

Ki taku titiro, ka nui te whai painga i puta mai (TTT 1/2/1926:348). / I have observed that many benefits have accrued.

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See also whaipainga

ko te painga atu ...

1. it would be better, so much the better - an idiom used to suggest a better way to do something or to achieve a goal.

Ki te mahi ngātahi tātou, ko te painga atu tēnā. / It would be better if we worked together.

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kore kē he painga!

1. how marvellous!.

kāhore he painga ki a

1. there's no benefit to.

Kāhore hoki he painga ki a tātou mehemea ka tukua mā te Pākehā e keri ngā kāpia o ō tātou whenua (TJ 24/8/1899:5). / And there's no benefit to us if the Pākehā are allowed to dig the kauri gum of our land.

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ko hea mai (nei) te painga atu

1. it would be much better - an idiom used to suggest a much better way to do something or to achieve a goal.

Ko hea mai nei te painga atu mehemea he Māori te Pirimia. / It would be much better if the Prime Minister was a Māori.

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kāore/kore (kē) he painga i [a Mea]

1. [so-and-so] is very good at, [you're] too much, [you're] on to it, no flies on [you], no sweat, without peer, no comparison, [you're] the best - an idiom used to say how very good someone is at a particular activity, or how excellent something is.

Kāore he painga i a Poia mō te tito waiata. / Poia is outstanding at composing songs.
Kore he painga i a koe mō te kōrero paki. / You're too much at telling yarns.
Mō te komekome, kāore he painga. / For whinging, she’s without peer.

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See also kāhore he painga ki a

Rangi-hāpainga

1. (personal name) according to some versions of the creative narratives, Rangi-hāpainga separated Rangi-nui and Papa-tū-ā-nuku. Also known as Paia-nui-a-Rangi.

(Te Māhuri Study Guide (Ed. 1): 40-42;)

I te mea ka rewa a Rangi-nui ki runga, ko Tāne-te-waiora ka huaina tōna ingoa ko Tāne-nui-a-Rangi-e-tū-iho-nei; ko Tūkāriri ka huaina tōna ingoa ko Tū-mata-uenga-a-Rangi-e-tū-iho-nei; ko Rangi-hāpainga ka huaina tōna ingoa ko Paia-nui-a-Rangi-e-tū-iho-nei; ko Rongo-hīrea ka huaina tōna ingoa ko Rongo-marae-roa-a-Rangi (HWM 12). / Because Rangi-nui was elevated above, Tāne-te-waiora was renamed Tāne-nui-a-Rangi-e tū-iho-nei; Tūkāriri was renamed Tū-mata-uenga-a-Rangi-e-tū-iho-nei; Rangi-hāpainga was renamed Paia-nui-a-Rangi-e-tū-iho-nei; and Rongo-hīrea was renamed Rongo-marae-roa-a-Rangi.

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Paia-nui-a-Rangi

1. (personal name) according to some versions of the creative narratives, he separated his parents Rangi-nui and Papa-tū-ā-nuku. Also known as Rangi-hāpainga.

(Te Māhuri Study Guide (Ed. 1): 40-42;)

I te mea ka rewa a Rangi-nui ki runga, ko Tāne-te-waiora ka huaina tōna ingoa ko Tāne-nui-a-Rangi-e-tū-iho-nei; ko Tūkāriri ka huaina tōna ingoa ko Tū-mata-uenga-a-Rangi-e-tū-iho-nei; ko Rangi-hāpainga ka huaina tōna ingoa ko Paia-nui-a-Rangi-e-tū-iho-nei; ko Rongo-hīrea ka huaina tōna ingoa ko Rongo-marae-roa-a-Rangi (HWM 12). / Because Rangi-nui was elevated above, Tāne-te-waiora was renamed Tāne-nui-a-Rangi-e tū-iho-nei; Tūkāriri was renamed Tū-mata-uenga-a-Rangi-e-tū-iho-nei; Rangi-hāpainga was renamed Paia-nui-a-Rangi-e-tū-iho-nei; and Rongo-hīrea was renamed Rongo-marae-roa-a-Rangi.

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See also Rangi-hāpainga

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