pono
1. (adjective) be true, valid, honest, genuine, sincere.
Mehemea he pono te aroha o te tangata ki te wahine, o te wahine rānei ki te tāne, e kore rawa e mātoke, ahakoa whakararurarutia e ngā whanaunga engari ka kaha kē atu (TTT 1/10/1924:117). / If a man truly loves a woman, or vice versa, it will not go cold, and despite problems caused by relatives it will become stronger.
Synonyms: ngākau pono, tinihanga kore, houtupu, motuhenga, motuhēhē
2. (noun) truth, non-fiction, validity.
Kua kitea e mātou te pono o aua kupu (TWM 18/9/1869:1). / We have seen the truth of those words.
Synonyms: kōrero pono
