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Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

awe

1. (noun) white feathers, feather plume, plume (of an albatross or heron), cloud.

He awe toroa nō runga i a Kārewa (JPS 1909:192). / An albatross plume from Kārewa Island.

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Synonyms: puhi, rau


2. (noun) long white hairs - used for decorating clothing, weapons, etc.

Ka whitia e ia te rapa o tōna taiaha ki runga; ka ruia ngā awe, ka pūaha (JPS 1911:22). / He turned the blade of his taiaha upwards, and shook its tuft of white dog's hair so that it opened out.

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3. (noun) strength, power, influence.

I muri tata iho i tōna hokinga mai i Pēwhairangi, ka hora tōna awe ki roto o Ngāti Porou (TTR 1990:164). / Soon after his return from the Bay of Islands his influence spread amongst Ngāti Porou.

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Synonyms: kōmārohi, kaha, tino rangatiratanga, marohi, mārohirohi, mana, maru, hiko, ihi, awenga, , mana whakahaere


4. (noun) soot.

Kei tua i te awe kāpara, he tangata kē māna e noho te ao nei, he mā (JPS 1907:65). / Behind the tattooed face there is a different person who will inherit this world and he is not tattooed. (A prophecy possibly predicting the changes that have occurred in Māori culture and society. The 'awe kāpara' is the tattooing pigment made from soot.)

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5. (noun) soul, an object used by a tohunga in which to place a person's wairua.

Ko te awe he rite anō ki te wairua, engari, koirā te tino o tō wairua. Nā reira, ka noho tonu te wairua e kōrero ake nei koe tō wairua i roto i a koe, engari, ka tīkina e koe tētahi mea pēnei i te matimati nei, i te makawe nei, i te kōhatu nei, i te rau rākau, i te peka rākau, he aha rānei, kātahi ka haria ki te tohunga kia karakiahia e te tohunga. I reira kua noho mai taua mea rā hei awe mō tō wairua, arā, ka hunaia e koe ki tētahi wāhi. Ka haere mai ngā karakia a te tohunga mākutu i a koe e hāngai ana ki a koe kei te huna kē te awe o tō wairua. Nā, e kore e taea te whakamate i tō tinana kia ngaro ai tō wairua (Wh4 2004:224). / The 'awe' is very similar to the 'wairua', but it's the essence of your spirit. And so the spirit that you are talking about dwells within you, but you should procure something such as a fingernail, a strand of hair, a stone, a leaf, a branch, or whatever, and take it to the tohunga for him to perform a ritual chant over. There that thing becomes the 'awe' for your spirit, and so you hide it somewhere. If a tohunga directs ritual chants to bewitch you, then the essence of your spirit is hidden away. So he will not be able to damage your body to destroy your spirit.

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tino

1. (modifier) importance, main, best, top, principal, pre-eminent, favourite, staple, real, true, absolute - when used before a noun to indicate something is unrivalled or is true or genuine.

(Te Kōhure Textbook (Ed. 2): 48-49;)

Koia nei te tino kai a taua iwi. / This is the staple food of that people.
Wairākau: Ko te tino tikanga o tēnei kupu mō ngā mea kei te whakamōmona i te whenua kia kaha ai te tipu o te kai (RK 1994:168). / Wairākau: The true use of this word is for things that are enriching the land so that crops grow strongly.

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Synonyms: pekepoho, aporei, timuaki, tumuaki, tupu, tinana, tipu, ake, tūturu


2. (modifier) very, quite, exact, true, really - when used before an adjective or verb to show a high degree or absoluteness.

(Te Kōhure Textbook (Ed. 2): 48-49;)


3. (noun) main, important, value, significance, essence, essential, quintessence, soul, substance - when used as a noun.

Koirā te tino o tō wairua. / That's the essence of your spirit.

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Synonyms: matū, wairua, aporei, matua, whakaihiihi, waitohu, hiranga, whakahirahiratanga, hirahira, māramatanga


4. (interjection) I totally agree, yes indeed, agreed, positively - used to show strong agreement with a statement.

Te reka kē o te tītī nei! Tino! / This mutton bird is really tasty! Yes, indeed!

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wairua

1. (noun) spirit, soul - spirit of a person which exists beyond death. It is the non-physical spirit, distinct from the body and the mauri. To some, the wairua resides in the heart or mind of someone while others believe it is part of the whole person and is not located at any particular part of the body. The wairua begins its existence when the eyes form in the foetus and is immortal. While alive a person's wairua can be affected by mākutu through karakia. Tohunga can damage wairua and also protect the wairua against harm. The wairua of a miscarriage or abortion can become a type of guardian for the family or may be used by tohunga for less beneficial purposes. Some believe that all animate and inanimate things have a whakapapa and a wairua. Some believe that atua Māori, or Io-matua-kore, can instill wairua into something. Tohunga, the agents of the atua, are able to activate or instil a wairua into something, such as a new wharenui, through karakia. During life, the wairua may leave the body for brief periods during dreams. The wairua has the power to warn the individual of impending danger through visions and dreams. On death the wairua becomes tapu. It is believed to remain with or near the body and speeches are addressed to the person and the wairua of that person encouraging it on its way to Te Pō. Eventually the wairua departs to join other wairua in Te Pō, the world of the departed spirits, or to Hawaiki, the ancestral homeland. The spirit travels to Te Reinga where it descends to Te Pō. Wairua of the dead that linger on earth are called kēhua. During kawe mate, or hari mate, hura kōhatu and other important occasions the wairua is summoned to return to the marae.

(Te Kōhure Textbook (Ed. 2): 221-228;)

Haere rā i a koe ka kōpikopiko atu ki Te Hono-i-wairua, ki te kāpunipunitanga o te wairua (TTR 1998:37). / We farewell you as you wend your way to the Gathering Place of Spirits, the meeting place of departed souls.
Te tinana, te hinengaro, me te wairua ēnei e toru, te mea nui o ēnei ko te wairua. Te tinana: he anga kau nō te wairua. Te hinengaro: he kaiwhakaatu ki te ao he pēnei nā te wairua kei roto i te tangata (TTT 1/12/1930:2215). / Of these three things, the body, the mind and the spirit, the most important is the spirit. The body is the vehicle for the spirit. The mind shows the world what the spirit of the person is like.

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2. (noun) attitude, quintessence, feel, mood, feeling, nature, essence, atmosphere.

Ko te wairua o te kōrero, kia Māori mai (HM 2/1994:10). / The feel of the language should be Māori.

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Synonyms: piropiro, tino, matū


3. (noun) bonfire moss, common cord-moss, Funaria hygrometrica - a moss that grows in profusion on moist, shady, and damp bare soil, especially on sites of old fires, and in plant pots in glasshouses and shadehouses. Found throughout Aotearoa/New Zealand.

ihongaro

1. (noun) street kid, lost soul.

ngākau

1. (noun) seat of affections, heart, mind, soul.

Ka tau mai ki ngā kura reo, e pau ana te hau, ka hoki atu e hikohiko katoa ana te ngākau (HM 4/2008:3). / I arrived at the language learning gathering worn out and when I returned home I was enthusiastic.

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See also ngākau māhaki

Synonyms: whatumanawa, hinengaro, pīnati, hirikapo, ihomatua, poho


2. (noun) something used to indicate to a friendly tribe that their assistance was required in a warlike expedition. The ngākau might be an article sent or a song which was sung.

Ka kitea he kōhatu i roto i ana kai, ka mōhio te rangatira rā he ngākau tērā, e kimi āwhina ana tana hoa ki te rānaki i te mate o tana tamaiti (PK 2008:511). / When that chief saw a stone in his food he knew that that was a request that his ally was seeking help to avenge the death of his son.

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tau o te ate

1. (noun) heart-strings, deep emotion, feelings.

Kakare kau nei te tau o taku ate (W 1971:100). / My emotions are stirred.

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2. (noun) soul mate, lover, partner, darling.

Kai whea te tau o taku ate? (W 1971:19). / Where is my soul mate?

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Synonyms: hoa, hoa haere kōtui, hoa rangatira, tahu, kairoro, hoa tākunekune, ipo, whaiāipo, tau, makau

hara

1. (verb) to be in violation of a tapu, transgress, commit a sin, violate the law, offend - in traditional society the word was used primarily for an offence from the violation of tapu. With the introduction of Christianity, the meaning widened to include sin and deliberate offending, and then offending in violation of rules, regulations and the law.

I mea a Pārao kua hara ia (TP 1/7/1900:4) / Pharaoh said that he had transgressed.

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Synonyms: muheni, muhani, tunuhuruhuru


2. (modifier) offending, criminal.

Tēnei hoki tētahi take whawhai, ko te kaiponu i te tangata hara (TMT 15/7/1861:12). / This is also a reason for war, the refusal to give up a criminal.—

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Synonyms: tutū


3. (noun) sin, foul, crime, offence, transgression, wrongdoing, gaffe, infringement, fault, problem.

I te 17 o Hune nei, i whakawākia rāua i te Kōti Matua mō te hara tuhituhi poka noa i ngā ingoa tāngata kē ki ngā tieki tono moni i ngā pēke, ā whakataua ana e te kōti kia kotahi tau mō tētahi, mō tētahi ki te whare herehere (TWMA 20/6/1884:3). / On 17th June they went on trial in the Supreme Court for writing fraudulent cheques and were each sentenced by the court to one year in prison.

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Synonyms: kino, kinonga, pōraruraru, uaua, whakararuraru, whakararu, māniania, rararu, raruraru, raru, mate, kūrakuraku, pōrahurahu

Hine-nui-te-pō

1. (personal name) Hine-tītama was the eldest daughter of the atua Tāne-nui-a-Rangi and Hine-ahu-one. She had several children to her father, but on learning that her husband was her father she fled to te pō (the underworld) where she receives the souls of the dead and is known as Hine-nui-te-pō.

(Te Māhuri Study Guide (Ed. 1): 48-51, 96;)

Kātahi ka kī atu a Māui ki ōna taokete, 'Kaua koutou e kata ki a au ina tomo au ki roto ki a Hine-nui-te-pō.' (TPH 30/11/1911:9) / Then Māui said to his brothers-in-law, 'You must not laugh at me when I go into Hine-nui-te-pō.'

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See also Hine-tītama, atua

Hine-nui-i-te-pō

1. (personal name) Hine-tītama was the eldest daughter of the atua Tāne-nui-a-Rangi and Hine-ahu-one. She had several children to her father, but on learning that her husband was her father she fled to te pō (the underworld) where she receives the souls of the dead and is known as Hine-nui-te-pō.

(Te Māhuri Textbook (Ed. 2): 48-51, 96;)

See also atua

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