tohu
1. (verb) (-a,-ina,-ngia,-tia) to instruct, advise, save the life of, spare, guide, direct, instruct, appoint.
E tino maumahara ana au ki taua pō e inoi ana tō mātau koroua ki Te Atua kia tohungia mātau (HP 1991:14). / I well remember that night when our grandfather was praying to God that we be spared.
Synonyms: tohutohu
2. (verb) (-a,-ina,-ngia,-tia) to point out, show, indicate, point at, gesticulate.
E tohu ana ia i mua o ngā matua rā, me te mea tonu ka whatiwhati te taiaha i roto i ngā ringa (JPS 1911:22). / He was gesticulating before the army divisions as if the taiaha would break in his hands.
Synonyms: whakahahaki, whakaatuatu, arataki, tūtohu, tuhi, tohutohu, whakaatu, tūtohi
3. (verb) (-a,-ina,-ngia,-tia) to preserve, conserve.
I te tukunga o te patu i te tau 1865, ka kī taurangi a Kerei me Te Mākarini, ka tohua ngā whenua o Ngāti Porou ki a rātau anō (TTR 1990:40). / When weapons were laid down in 1865 Grey and McLean promised that Ngāti Porou land would be preserved for the tribe's own use.
Synonyms: rongoā, whakauka, whakatote, rokiroki, whakapounamu, tohutohu, rarawe
4. (verb) (-a) to perform a ritual.
Tohua ana a Hēnare ki te tikanga pure o te karaka whati, he tikanga whakatakataka i te toa mō te pakanga (TTR 2000:70). / Hēnare underwent the ritual of karaka whati, a practice preparing a warrior for battle.
5. (noun) sign, mark, symbol, emblem, token, qualification, cue, symptom, proof, directions, company, landmark, distinguishing feature, signature.
Kua tae mai ō tohu aroha ki a au, arā ngā aikiha me te neketai i tukuna mai nei e koe (TKO 15/1/1916:5). / Your tokens of affection have arrived, that is the handkerchiefs and tie which you sent.
Synonyms: whakatūturutanga, whakatūturu, hāponotanga, māka, waitohu, matohu, tūtohu, mātānawe, whaitohu, nawe, kōiraira
6. (noun) advice, suggestion, guidance.
He tohu kūare tēnei, he hua nō te whakaaro horihori (TP 1/5/1901:1). / This is uninformed advice, a result of incorrect opinion.
