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Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

mārama

1. (experience verb) to be clear, light (not dark), easy to understand, lucid, bright, transparent.

Ko wai te kaikōrero o tētahi reo, ahakoa te reo, e mārama ana, e pūrangiaho ana ki ngā kupu katoa o tōna reo? (HM 4/2009:3). / What speaker of a language, whatever the language, understands fully every word of that tongue.

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2. (modifier) light, not dark, clear.

He āhua rangatira tonu tōna ahua. He tangata moko, ko te āhua o tōna kanohi he āhua mārama, āhua mōhio. He pērā hoki te āhua o te kanohi o Hūnia Te Ngākau, engari he tōtōkau, he kiri tea hoki, he kiri mārama (TWMNT 30/5/1876:122). / He had a noble appearance. He was tattooed with a fair complexion and wise appearance. Hūnia Te Ngākau had a similar face, but was unadorned and was fair and light skinned.

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Synonyms: teatea, tūrama, māramatanga, rama, tahu, tahutahu


3. (noun) brightness, clearness.

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