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Loan words

Historical loan words

riha

1. (adjective) be bad, disgusting, harmful.

E ai ki Te Papa Atawhai he pōrearea, he riha te kiore, he kai nōna i ngā tipu me ngā kararehe māori (Te Ara 2013). / Rats are considered a pest and harmful by the Department of Conservation, as they eat native plants and animals.

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Synonyms: whiro, kikino, rihariha, kino


2. (noun) nit - the eggs of kutu (the human head louse).

Kaua e whakaaro ki ngā kutu anake engari ngā hēki, arā ngā riha e piri ana ki ngā huruhuru me patu anō hoki, te take ka whānau mai hei kutu i roto i te wiki kotahi (TTT 1/4/1923:3). / Don't just consider the lice but also the eggs, that is the nits, sticking to the hair, they should be killed too, the reason being that they will hatch as lice within one week.

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See also rihariha

Synonyms: rihariha


3. (noun) pest.

Ka kīia ngā riha kua kawea mai ki Aotearoa i whenua kē, he riha rāwaho (RP 2009:372). / Pests that have been brought to New Zealand from other countries are called introduced pests.

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Synonyms: whakapōrearea, kīrearea, nanakia, iroiro

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