tunga
1. (modifier) decaying, aching (of a tooth).
Ko mātau ko tēnei iwi kai te titiro anō ki ngā tikanga o roto i te pire nei, kitea iho e mātau kore rawa he niho tunga i roto he niho koi anake (TJ 30/8/1898:8). / This tribe and I are looking again at the processes in this bill and we can see that there are no decaying teeth in it, there are only sharp teeth.
Synonyms: māioio
2. (noun) huhu grub, Prionoplus reticularis.
I whānau mai tēnei ngārara, te tūngoungou, i roto i te pōpopo rākau. Te putanga mai he tunga, ka noho tonu anō ia i roto i te pōpopo rākau, ka roa ia e noho ana, kua puta he parirau mōna, ka kīia tōna ingoa i tēnā wā he pepe. Ka roa ia e noho ana kua puta ki waho o te pōpopo. Tōna putanga ki waho kua rere he pango te āhua, i mua i tēnei he mā kē tōna āhua, ka kīia i tēnā wā he pokaka. I muri i tēnā kua rerekē tōna āhua kua kīia he pūrerehua kai hue. I muri i tēnā kua hoki ia ki roto i te oneone, tōna putanga ake he tūngoungou (TP 11/1909:4). / This creature, the pupa, is born in rotten wood. It appears as a grub which continues to live in rotten wood. After a long time living there, wings appear for it and at this stage its called a moth. After a long time it emerges out of the rotten wood. When it emerges it flies off and has a dark appearance, whereas before this it is white and at that stage it is called a pokaka. After that its appearance changes and its called a gourd eating moth. After that it returns to the ground and reappears as a pupa.
See also tunga rākau, tunga rere
Synonyms: tunga rākau, tunga rere, pepe te muimui, tunga haere
