nanakia
1. (verb) to be better than expected, not too bad, pretty good.
He nanakia tonu te āwhina a te iwi (HP 1991:80). / The effort of the people was not too bad.
Synonyms: autaia, tōna [pai] nei
2. (modifier) crafty, treacherous, deceitful, cruel.
Nā, ko Pōkai, ko tērā i hoki mai rā i te ara, rātou nei ko Rangi-tā-whakarere mā, ko tō Ngāti Kura tangata, i runga i te maunga o tētahi o ngā tāngata nanakia rā, ka tae a Hau-tukia rāua ko tōna irāmutu, a Rangi-ta-whakarere, ko tēnei whenua ko Wai-keri - ahu atu ki Pari-o-tonga (ko te pā o Ihenga i whakaekea e Ngā Puhi i ōna rā), ka tukua mōna (JPS 1911:180). / Now, Pōkai, who returned with Rangi-tā-whakarere and others, belonged to Ngāti Kura; and on account of his having caught one of the robbers, Hau-tukia and his nephew Rangi-ta-whakarere made over to him the land of Wai-keri - right up to Pari-o-tonga (which was the pā of Ihenga that was assaulted by Ngā Puhi).
3. (noun) demon, pest, villain, scoundrel, tricky character, interesting character.
Ka āhua mārama ake ki tōna āhua i ngā kōrero paki mōna: he wā he nanakia, he wā he atua tonu (TTR 1990:358). / It's somewhat clear as to his nature from stories about him: sometimes he was a villain and at other times he was a hero.
Synonyms: riha, kīrearea, iroiro, whakapōrearea, tainanakia, taurekareka, nauhea, nauwhea
