mātau
1. (verb) (-ria,-hia) to know, acquainted with, understand - usually followed by ki preceding the noun showing the object.
Kāore i pērā rawa te tokomaha o te hunga kaiako he mātau ki te reo Māori, he mātau hoki ki te mahi whakaako (HM 4/2008:1). / There weren't as many teachers who knew the Māori language and also knew how to teach.
Synonyms: mahara, mōhio, hua, matatau, pūrangiaho
2. (modifier) be clever, knowledgeable.
He tangata mātau ki te waihanga pū a Hōri Karaka (TTR 1990:140). / George Clarke was a knowledgeable person at making guns.
Synonyms: matatau
3. (noun) knowledge, understanding.
Anei te reo Pākehā me tōna huhua o te kupu, engari kāore i paku kainamu atu te mātau o te hunga taketake ake nō rātou taua reo ki aua kupu katoa rā (HM 4/2009:3). / Here is the English language with its multitude of words, but native speakers of that language do not know anywhere near all the words of their language.
Synonyms: mōhiotanga, mātauranga, mōhio
