hēhē
1. (verb) to be wrong, not fulfilling requirements, gone astray, at a loss, incompetent.
E kitea ana he nui te hēhē o ā rātou mahi. Engari hoki kāhore rātou e mōhio kei te hēhē ā rātou mahi (RK 1994:106). / It could be seen that their work was highly incompetent. But they were not aware that their work was incompetent.
2. (modifier) wrong, not fulfilling requirements, gone astray, at a loss, incompetent, unsuitable.
Ka karanga te iwi, nā te moenga i te tāne hēhē i tipuheke ai taua wahine (W 1971:43). / The tribe called that by marrying the unsuitable husband that woman degenerated.
3. (noun) disappointing result, unfulfilled requirement, incompetence, foul up, anomaly, glitch, false start.
Ka tohungia he kōmihana uitanga, engari, tino kino te hēhē (TTR 1994:191). / A commission of enquiry was appointed, but it was a great disappointment (DNZB 1993:545).