proverb - Te Aka Māori Dictionary

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whakataukī

1. (verb) (-tia) to utter a proverb.

Ka whakataukī atu a Kiwi ki a Waha-akiaki, “Kia pēnei, tō kōuma āpōpō e iri ana i te pōhutukawa i Kai-arero.” (JPS 1923:234) / Kiwi uttered a proverb to Waha-akiaki, “It will be like this, tomorrow your breast-bone will be hanging on the pōhutukawa tree at Kai-arero.”

2. (noun) proverb, significant saying, formulaic saying, cryptic saying, aphorism. Like whakatauākī and pepeha they are essential ingredients in whaikōrero.

(Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 31-32; Te Kōhure Textbook (Ed. 2): 38-39;)

Tētahi take nui i whakaaetia e tēnei hui, ko ngā mahi a ngā tūpuna o mua kei ngaro, kia tino mahia nuitia i ēnei rā: Ngā whakataukī, ngā waiata Māori, ngā pepeha, me ngā tikanga katoa o ngā mea, me ngā harihari, tūtū ngārahu, me ngā hari kai (TP 8/1909:11). / An important matter that was agreed to by the meeting was the activities of the ancestors of former times that these should be used widely today: The aphorisms, Māori songs, tribal sayings and the customary practices of everything, the songs to unite people in a common purpose, war dances and songs for presenting food.

Synonyms: pepeha, whakatauākī, peha

peha

1. (noun) figure of speech, proverb, witticism, turn of phrase - a set form of words.

Nā Māui i hoatu te peha (W 1971:274). / It was Māui who gave the proverb.

Synonyms: pepeha, whakatauākī, whakataukī

2. (verb) to boast, brag.

Kāore au i te peha (TP 6/1913:2). / I'm not bragging.

Taku ahi tūtata taku mata kikoha, taku ahi tawhiti taku mata kiporo

1. A proverb reffering to keeping close to one's passion (fire) in order to be skilled or adept (sharp). The further away from the fire the more uninterested one becomes.

My close fire my sharp spare point; my distant fire my bunt spare point. /

takao

1. (noun) rude jest, insulting proverb.

whakatauākī

1. (verb) (-tia) to utter a proverb, utter a significant saying, utter a formulaic saying, utter an aphorism.

Ka whāia kia tomohia a Kahupeka ki te mokopuna a te koroua rā nā runga i tana ōhākī, engari kāore i tutuki ka whakatauākītia, ‘He tara whai ka uru ki roto, e kore e taea te whakahokia’ (Te Ara 2014). / Kahupeka was then sought for an arranged marriage with the elderly man's grandson, due to the elderly man's dying request, but this was not fulfilled with the saying, ‘A barb of a stingray, once inserted, cannot be withdrawn'.

2. (noun) proverb, significant saying, formulaic saying, aphorism - particularly those urging a type of behaviour. Like whakataukī and pepeha they are essential ingredients in whaikōrero.

(Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 31-32; Te Kōhure Textbook (Ed. 2): 39;)

Ko te nuinga o ngā whakatauākī nā te tangata whai mana i whakatakoto (Wh4 2004:39). / The majority of whakatauākī have been made by people of status.

Synonyms: pepeha, whakataukī, peha

He taonga te wareware

1. Forgetfullness is a treasure. A proverb which has two meanings. 1. Forgetfullness is enduring 2. Let bygones be bygones.

Forgetfullness is a treasure. /

pepeha

1. (verb) (-tia) to say, exclaim, be the subject of a saying (in the passive, i.e. pepehatia).

(Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 31-32; Te Kōhure Textbook (Ed. 2): 40;)

Ka tauria a Hikurangi e te huka ka pepehatia, 'Ka rukuruku a Te Rangitāwaea i ōna kākahu rīnena.' (RK 1994:168). / When Hikurangi mountain is covered by snow the saying is used about it, 'Te Rangitāwaea wears his linen cloak.'

Synonyms: kī, kōrero, mea, hamumu, wani, whakahua, kīkī, puaki

2. (noun) tribal saying, tribal motto, proverb (especially about a tribe), set form of words, formulaic expression, saying of the ancestors, figure of speech, motto, slogan - set sayings known for their economy of words and metaphor and encapsulating many Māori values and human characteristics.

Tētahi take nui i whakaaetia e tēnei hui, ko ngā mahi a ngā tūpuna o mua kei ngaro, kia tino mahia nuitia i ēnei rā: Ngā whakataukī, ngā waiata Māori, ngā pepeha, me ngā tikanga katoa o ngā mea, me ngā harihari, tūtū ngārahu, me ngā hari kai (TP 8/1909:11). / An important matter that was agreed to by the meeting was the activities of the ancestors of former times that these should be used widely today: The aphorisms, Māori songs, tribal sayings and the customary practices of everything, the songs to unite people in a common purpose, war dances and songs for presenting food.

Synonyms: whakapepeha, whakatauākī, whakataukī, peha, kupu, kīnga, tūātau, kīanga, kī, rerenga kōrero

E mua āta haere e muri whatiwhati waewae

1. Don't leave something to do till the last minute.

Start early and go at your leisure start late and break your leg. /

E mua kaikai e muri kai hūware

1. First in first serve.

In front eats food behind eats spittle. /

E ngaki ana a mua e tōtō ana a muri.

1. If those ahead do their work properly those following can do theirs and all can achieve their common goal.

Ahead are weeding and behind are planting. /

E tata mate, e roa taihoa

1. Procrastination is the thief of time.

Calamity is near, later on is far. /

E toa ai a Whiro, me noho puku noa a Kou tangata

1. Apathy breeds evil.

For evil to triumph it needs good people to do nothing. /

Haere maha mahue maha

1. Go in great numbers as a force or do not go at all.

All go, or all stay. /

Haere! Matenga kē mōu matenga kē mōku

1. There will be a different fate for both of us.

Go! Death for you one way, and death for me another. /

Hauhake tū ka tō a Matariki

1. Matariki guides us when to stop harvesting.

Harvesting finishes when Matariki sets. /

He ao te rangi ka uwhia he huruhuru te manu ka tau.

1. Dress the part.

As the clouds bedeck the heavens so feathers adorn a bird. /

He harore rangi tahi

1. A flash in the pan, a one-hit-wonder.

A mushroom of one day. /

He hono tangata e kore e motu, kāpā he taura waka e motu.

1. Blood is thicker than water.

The geneaological connections of people cannot be severed, on the other hand the canoe rope will be severed. /

He iti pou kapua hunga tini whetū ki te rangi

1. Traditionally a whakataukī that compared an enemy overcome by a smaller force. In another context it can refer to something that overshadows the positives of an event or situation.

A small cloud that blocks out many stars. /

He iti te mokoroa nāna i kakati te kahikatea

1. Something much larger can be overcome by something much smaller. Alternatively something only minuscule can be a detriment to something quite important.

The caterpillar that gnawed the kahikatea is small. /

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