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Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

mohimohi

1. (verb) to tend, nurse, care for, take care of.

Ki ngā tangata o Taitoko, ko 'Granny Retter' tā rātou karanga i a ia, te wahine nāna i mohimohi ngā tīpuna whāea, ngā tamariki hoki o taua tāone, ā, ko ia anō hoki te tauhere atu ki ngā rā o nehe o te ao Māori, Pākehā anō hoki (TTR 1996:163). / To the people of Levin, their name for her was 'Granny Retter', the woman who had cared for their first generation of mothers and babies, and who was a link with the past of the Māori and Pākehā worlds.

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Synonyms: nāhi, tapuhi, morimori, tiaki, nēhi, nānā, whakatapuhi, hiki


2. (verb) to be smooth, sleek, silky.

Kia kori te manu, ā, kia mohimohi rānei ngā huruhuru, he tohu kino (W 1971:205). / Should the bird wriggle about or the feathers be sleek, that was a bad sign.

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maimoa

1. (verb) (-tia) to cherish, take care of.

Kāore te reo Māori e ora noa, ki te kore e maimoatia e te iwi (HJ 2015:205). / The māori language will not survive if it's not cherished by the people.
Ko tā taua kaupapa nei he whakahāngai i te titiro ki te maimoa i te hapūtanga, ki te whakakāhore i te iroiti, ki ngā kaupapahere tika mō ngā hōhipera, me te whakapai ake i ngā kaupapa hei whakangungu i ngā kaiwhakawhānau (TTR 1996:144). / That campaign directed attention towards antenatal care, to destroying harmful bacteria, appropriate hospital policy and improved midwifery training.

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2. (noun) pet.

Kāti, me āta tātari mārie, tērā anō pea e kitea he kai anō kei te pātohe nei e ora ai tō koutou maimoa (KO 8/8/1890:2). / Well, we should sift through it carefully and perhaps some food will be found in the abandoned cultivation whereby your pet will survive.

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Synonyms: mōkaikai, mōkai, mokamokai, whakapuhi, pōtiki


3. (noun) decoy, lure.

I kawea e te Māori ngā mātauranga hī ika o Te Moananui-a-Kiwa ki Aotearoa, ka whakamātauria ngā matau, ngā maihea, ngā maimoa kia tika ai ki ngā wai o Aotearoa (Te Ara 2016). / Māori brought Pacific fishing knowledge to New Zealand and fish-hooks, sinkers and lures were trialled and adapted to the waters of New Zealand.

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Synonyms: kohinu, pātoi, tīmori, poapoa, poa, whakawai, whakakonuka, whakapoapoa

tautiaki

1. (verb) (-na,-tia) to tend, guard, take care of.

I hihiri tana akiaki i tōna iwi, i a Waikato ki te whakauru atu ki te taua tautiaki i te toi whenua (TTR 1996:82). / He energetically urged his Waikato people to join the Home Guard.

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2. (modifier) cared for, held in trust.

I whānako te pūtea moni tautiaki a Maata (TTR 1996:79). / The money held in trust for Maata was embezzled.

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3. (noun) guard.

I te haringa atu o Kereopa ki Ahuriri, ko Nihoniho tētahi o ngā tautiaki (TTR 1990:88). / When Kereopa was taken to Napier Nihoniho was one of the guards.

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rauhī

1. (verb) (-tia) to place together, collect, gather together.

Neke atu i te e 25,000 ngā uri ka rauhī mai mō ngā rā e toru (Te Ara 2013). / More than 25,000 descendents gather together for these three days.

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2. (verb) (-tia) to take care of, tend, foster, protect.

Ki tā ngā kaiarotake, e whakaari ana tēnei i tā Te Taura Whiri rauhī i te reo Māori, me tana tū hei kaihautū i roto i ngā mahi whakaora ake i tēnei taonga a tātou (HM 1/1999:4). / According to the evaluators, this reflects Te Taura Whiri's care of the Māori language and its standing as a leader in the revival of this treasure of ours.

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Synonyms: taumaru, whakahaumaru, whakaruru, , manaaki, tiaki, whakamarumaru, whakaruruhau, parahau, araarai, whakahau, whakangungu, whakamaru, pare

raupī

1. (verb) (-tia) to take care of, cherish tenderly, cover up (for protection).

Kua mate noa atu te kaiwhakaako o Sir Ernest Rutherford, tēnā pea ia kei te titiro iho i te rangi ki tana tamaiti nui whakaharahara i raupī ai (TTT 1/10/1927:702). / Sir Ernest Rutherford's teacher died sime time ago, but he is probably looking down from heaven at his prodigy who he cherished.

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manaaki

1. (verb) (-tia) to support, take care of, give hospitality to, protect, look out for - show respect, generosity and care for others.

E tā, taku kupu ki a koe, kia manaaki i te tangata rahi, i te tangata iti...E puta te ope ware ki tō kāinga, hoatu tō kai rauhī māna, mā konā koe ka rangona e ngā nohoanga tāngata e haere ai ia. Hāunga te rangatira, ko tōna mana rangatira māna e hoatu he kai māna, nōna hoki ēnā taonga. E kore ia e waiho hei kōrero māna te kai, te manaaki a te tangata. E kite koe i te nohoanga i ngā ware haere hei hoa kai tahi mō rātau. Kaua hei whakaititia te tangata i runga i te tūnga kai, engari whakanuia ia e koe (TTT 1/9/1923:1). / My friend, let me say this to you, care for all people both great and small...When a visiting commoner arrives at your home, give him your best food and as a result you will be known by people wherever you go. This is apart from the chief, his chiefly mana enables him to provide food for himself because he has those resources. He will not talk about food and hospitality. If you see a place where commoners are sitting go and eat with them. Do not belittle a person based on the food presented, but honour him or her.
Manaakitia mai ā tātou kura māhita, ngā kaiārahi i ā tātou tamariki, i ngā mokopuna me te iwi (TTT 1/10/1921:10). / Look after our teachers, the counsellors of our children, grandchildren and the people.

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Synonyms: taumaru, whakahaumaru, whakaruru, , tiaki, whakamarumaru, whakaruruhau, rauhī, parahau, araarai, whakahau, whakangungu, whakamaru, pare


2. (noun) support, hospitality, caring for.

Mā te manaaki i te tangata e tū ai te mana, e wehi ai te tangata ki a koe (WW 1915:256). / By providing hospitality to people is mana acquired whereby people respect you.
Kei te tangi au mō tā koutou manaaki nui rawa i a māua ko tōku hoa wahine (TTT 1/5/1922:1). / I am expressing my appreciation for your wonderful hospitality to my wife and me.

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See also manaakitanga

pena

1. (verb) (-hia,-tia) to take care of, attend to, cherish, husband, look after, invest.

Ko ia tonu te tiamana o te hui nui i Te Hauke i te tau 1920, nā rātou i tautoko te tikanga a Ngata ki te pena atu i ngā moni o te Tahua Hōia Māori (TTR 1998:232). / In 1920 he was chairman of a general meeting at Te Hauke which endorsed Ngata's plan for the investment of the money of the Māori Soldiers' Fund.

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Synonyms: tieki, tūpore, tiaki, taute, poipoi, penapena

whakatūpato

1. (verb) (-hia,-ngia,-tia) to warn, alert, caution, forewarn, take care.

E ai ki ngā kōrero tupuna a Ngāi Tahu kua whakatūpato kētia a Tama-i-hara-nui kua tātaingia e Ngāti Toa kia nukaia a ia me te rongo anō hoki nā rātou i whakapoke te urupā o tētahi o ana whanaunga (TTR 1990:146). / According to Ngāi Tahu traditions, Tama-i-hara-nui had already been warned that Ngāti Toa were planning treachery, and also heard that they had desecrated the grave of one of his relatives.

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2. (modifier) cautionary, warning.

Kua kite pea ngā tāngata Māori i roto i ngā nūpepa o mua, arā i 'Te Karere Maori' i ētahi kōrero whakatūpato mō tēnei mate whakawehiwehi, mō te koroputaputa (TWMNT 19/6/1872:83). / Māori people have probably seen in earlier newspapers, namely 'Te Karere Maori', some cautionary information about this frightening disease, smallpox.

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3. (noun) caution, warning, alert.

He mea atu tēnei, he whakatūpato ki te iwi Māori, kia kaua rātou e purei kāri (TW 22/6/1878:320). / Let it be known as a caution to the Māori people that they are not to play cards.

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penapena

1. (verb) (-hia,-tia) to take care of, attend to, cherish, husband, look after, save up, store up.

Hei penapena i te pūtea, i kī atu ia he pai kē ake tana haere mā runga waka ā-mahi i te haere mā runga tekehī (TTR 1998:102). / Financially, she said it would be better if she was to use a work vehicle rather than taking a taxi.

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See also penapena rawa

Synonyms: whakaputa i te ihu, karokaro, karo, whakarauora, whakaoraora, whakaora, tieki, tūpore, tiaki, taute, pena, poipoi

pīkau

1. (verb) (-ngia,-ria,-tia) to carry on the back, get on the back of someone else, piggyback, carry, take care of, convey.

E rongo ana te taringa i tōna toa ki te haere i roto i ngā kōkiri; ki te amo mai i ngā taotū i roto i te mura o te ahi ki te wāhi i te ora; ki te pīkau mai i ngā tāngata kua mate kē ki tētahi wāhi tika hei tāpukenga mō rātou (TKO 30/10/1920:10). / We've heard of his bravery in going into the attacks; in the heat of battle to carry out the wounded on his shoulder to a safe place; to carry out the men who had already died to an appropriate place for them to be buried.

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2. (noun) backpack, pack.

Kei ō rātou tuarā ko ngā pīkau pupuri i ā rātou rākau whawhai. / On their backs were the packs holding their weapons.

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Synonyms: peketua, kawenga, pāka, pōrukuruku, pēke, whakawhāiti

whakaomoomo

1. (verb) to take care of, look after, nurse, tend (a child or invalid).

E whakaomoomotia ana te tūroro e te nēhi. / The nurse was looking after the patient.

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whakangākau

1. (verb) (-tia) to show affection for, cherish, care for, hold dear, fret for, take to heart, long for, desire.

I whakangākau pono tonu a Iriaka ki te whakatinana i ngā painga o ana kaipōti katoa (TTR 2000:176). / Iriaka conscientiously attempted to represent the interests of all her constituents.

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Synonyms: kuika, kūwata, tōmina, kare, kuatau, pūkōnohinohi, manako, ōkaka, hihiri, kaimomotu, āmene, korou, popono, pūkōnohinohi, warawara, wawata, wara, ohia, mānakonako, tāmina, kūata


2. (noun) affection, regard.

Me te rongo atu anō hoki i ō kōrua mamae me tō kōrua whakangākau ki ō kōrua tūpuna, ki a Te Whiti rāua ko Tohu (HM 2/1995:1). / And we felt your pain and affection for your ancestors, Te Whiti and Tohu.

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Synonyms: kōtua, whakarangatira

hei aha (atu) mā wai?

1. who cares? - an idiom to suggest that the listener should take no notice of what someone else has said or done because it is of no value.

Ka mea mai ki a au, "Hai aha mā wai? Kia tere tonu tō rere ki roto i te awa." (HP 1991:20). / He said to me, "Who cares? Hurry up and get into the water."
Pare: Kāore au e pīrangi tū ki te kōrero, kei kitea taku kūware. Rangi: Hei aha atu mā wai? Nōu tēnei marae - e tū koe! (HKK 1999:77). / Pare: I don't want to stand to speak, in case my ignorance is seen. Rangi: Who cares? This marae belongs to you - you stand!

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See also hei aha (noa iho)

hei aha [tāu]

1. I don't care what you say, never mind that - used to emphasise that the speaker will take no notice of a suggestion because it has no value.

(Te Pihinga Teachers' Manual (Ed. 2): 126;)

Kāore au e pai ki a Timi, he pākira rawa nō tōna rae. Hei aha tāu, he tangata hūmārie ia. / I don't like Tim. He's too bald. I don't care, he's a handsome man.

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mārire

1. (particle) exactly, absolutely, unequivocally, positively, seriously, essentially, indubitably, for the most part, in the main, deliberately, intentionally, carefully, really, gently, quietly, silently, completely, thoroughly, well and truly, actually, in fact, quietly, peaceably, peacefully, just, merely, very - a word to intensify and add emphasis, often translated by one of the above. Where mārire follows a verb in the passive it will take a passive ending also, usually -tia.

Te reka mārire o te merengi nei. / This melon is really sweet.
Ka kimikimi te Whare ki ngā tikanga e pā ana ki te taha Māori, he tika kia āta whakaarohia mariretia aua tikanga (TWMNT 13/2/1877:27). / The House is considering matters affecting Māori, and it is only right that those matters be considered very carefully.

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Synonyms: puku, mārika, mārie, mōhū, kōmuhu, māika, mōrukaruka, pohapoha, puru, piropiro, hāwerewere, rukaruka, ehara ehara, , anō, moruka, te mutunga (kē) mai (nei) o te ..., tahi, heipū, tōkeke, noa ake, tonu, ia, ia rā, noa iho, tinana, koa, katoa, rawa, i neki, inā, ata, rā anō, rā pea, rānō, tino, kau, noa, tou, tika, tata, ake, , koia, koia


2. (verb) to be peaceful, quiet, fortunate, appeased.

Ko te kōhuru mā te pāwera, mā te hae, mā te ohorere o te ngākau, mā te mamae, tēnā ko te tāhae whenua he mea āta whakaaro mārire, he mea āta rūnanga rawa he kōrero parau, ehara i te hara ohorere nā te ohonga o te ngākau, kāhorehore, engari he hara he mea āta waihanga mārire, i whakamahia e te tangata tōna hinengaro ki te āta whakatakoto, kāhore i mahia i runga i te pāweratanga o te ngākau, engari i te ngākau anō e mārire ana (TP 3/1909:2). / Murder is done because of passion, jealousy, impulsively, or because of pain, but stealing land is something that is carefully planned and thought out with deception, it's not an impetuous sin, no, but it is a sin that is carefully devised and planned, not done on the spur of the moment, but when one's emotions are calm.

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Synonyms: houkura, hūmārie, aumārire, , mārie, hūmārire, whakaaio, rangimārie, ukiuki, whakamārie, whakamāria, whakamārire, ngehe, āio, maho, māhaki, māika, nohopuku, tōngā, wahangū, nguengue, , rata, hūnguengue, hāngū, rarata


3. (noun) softness (of sound).

Ko te kahaoro te tīwerawera, te mārire rānei o te oro (RTP 2015:59). / The volume is the loudness or softness of the sound.

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mārie

1. (particle) exactly, absolutely, unequivocally, positively, seriously, essentially, indubitably, for the most part, in the main, deliberately, intentionally, carefully, really, gently, quietly, silently, completely, thoroughly, well and truly, actually, in fact, quietly, peaceably, peacefully, just, merely, very - a word to intensify and add emphasis, often translated by one of the above. Where mārie follows a verb in the passive it will take a passive ending also, usually -tia.

Ko te whenua ka takoto mārie, taihoa ka tupuria e te otaota, e te māheuheu (HJ 2015:101). / Land just left will in time be overgrown by weeds and scrub.

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Synonyms: puku, mārire, mārika, mōhū, kōmuhu, māika, , koia, koia, tinana, koa, katoa, rawa, i neki, noa iho, tōkeke, noa ake, tonu, ia, ia rā, heipū, tata, ake, kau, rānō, tino, inā, ata, rā anō, rā pea, tika, tou, noa, piropiro, ehara ehara, puru, pohapoha, mōrukaruka, tahi, te mutunga (kē) mai (nei) o te ..., rukaruka, hāwerewere, moruka, anō,


2. (verb) to be peaceful, friendly, harmonious, amicable, composed, abate.

I whakahoahoa rātou ki ngā Pākehā i runga i te wawata ka mārie tā rātou noho tahi (TTR 1990:77). / They were friendly towards the Pākehā in the hope that their existence together would be peaceful.

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Synonyms: māwhe, pāngū, tau


3. (verb) fortunately, it was fortunate, luckily.

Ka mea atu ngā tama, "Mārie anō kia haere mai koe!" Ka mea atu te koroheke, "Ki te aha?" Ka mea atu rāua, "Ki te karakia i ā māua māra." (NM 1928:170). / The boys said, "It was fortunate that you have come!" The elderly man said, "What for?" They said, "To recite ritual chants for our gardens."

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Synonyms: marenganui, mokori anō, maringanui, māringanui, mokori


4. (modifier) peaceful, friendly, harmonious, amicable, composed.

He tangata mārie, whakamōwai a Rāni Erihana, i ngākau pono nui ki tana kamupene me tōna whānau (TTR 2000:59). / Rāni Ellison was a quiet, unassuming man who was devoted to his company and his family.

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Synonyms: ngehe, rangimārie, ukiuki, whakamārie, whakamāria, whakamārire, āio, houkura, hūmārie, aumārire, , mārire, hūmārire, whakaaio


5. (noun) peace, calm, tranquility, calmness, peacefulness, serenity, composure, harmony, geniality.

Ko te mātau, ko te mārie nui i kitea ki tōna mata (MM.TKM 1/12/1855:13). / Intelligence and geniality could be seen in his countenance.

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Synonyms: mahurutanga, marino, whakamārietanga, rongo, rangimārie, maungārongo, rongomau, waikanaetanga, whakaaio, āio, houkura, houhanga a rongo, hūmārie, aumārire, māriri, hūmārire

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