2. (noun) haven't you learnt your lesson yet? you should have known better, you'll listen next time, I told you so, I should have known better - an idiom used to comment on someone's mistake or oversight when they should have known better. In this usage iro is often preceded by a possessive.
Kua mau taku iro. Kore rawa au e kai waipiro me te whakatete ki te taraiwa i taku waka ā muri ake nei (HKK 1999:97). /
I should have known better. I will never drink and drive my vehicle ever again. /
See also e iro e iro!, kua mau [tō] iro
kāore i/a kō atu, i/a kō mai ...
1. (particle) there's absolutely nobody better than, there's absolutely nothing better than - an idiom used to indicate how outstandingly good someone is at a particular activity, or how outstandingly good something is.
Kāore i kō atu, i kō mai o Temepara Hōri mō te purei poitarawhiti. / There's absolutely nobody better than Temepara George at playing netball.
kāore i kō atu i ...
1. [you] can't be beaten, there's nobody better than, there's nothing better than - an idiom used to indicate how exceeding good someone is at a particular activity, or how good something is. Also as kāore i kō atu, kāore i kō mai or kāore i kō atu, i kō mai.
Kāore i kō atu i a Te Ururoa mō te kōkiri i ngā take Māori. / There is nobody better than Te Ururoa at promoting Māori issues.
Ahakoa he aha te reo o tēhea whenua o te ao, ki te kore e kōrerotia e kore e ora, me whai kaikōrero tēnei mea te reo e tino ora ai, kāore i kō atu, kāore i kō mai - koinā! (HM 3/1998:2). / No matter what language of whichever country of the world, if it's not spoken it will not survive, languages must have speakers to really survive, there's nothing as important - that's it in a nutshell!
Kāore i kō mai, i kō atu o Whāingaroa mō te whakahekeheke ngaru (HJ 2012:26). / There's nowhere better than Raglan for surfing.
kāore i tua atu i ...
1. (particle) there's nobody better than, there's nothing better than - an idiom used to indicate how exceeding good someone is at a particular activity, or how good something is.
Kāore he tangata i tua atu i a Te Ihorei mō te kōkiri i ngā take Māori. / There is nobody better than Te Ihorei at promoting Māori issues.
Kāore i tua atu i te kareao hei mahi tāruke (HJ 2012:26). / There's nothing better than supplejack for making crayfish traps.
mā te aha (anō) i [tēnā]
1. better than nothing, the main thing was that, at least that's something, rather that than - an idiom used to suggest that it was better that something was done even if it wasn't done well.
Te koretake hoki o tana whaikōrero! Heoi anō, mā te aha i te whakatau. / How a hopeless his speech was! Never mind, the main thing was that there was a welcome speech.
Tau: Kei te mōhio anō tā rātou kiripaepae hou ki tāna mahi? Ira: Kāore kau pea. Engari he tangata purotu! Tau: Mmm... mā te aha anō pea i tērā! Ira: Āe rā. Māte aha i te pai kanohi! (HJ 2012:29). / Tau: Does their new receptionist actually know his job? Ira: Probably not. But he's a handsome man! Tau: Mmm... Perhaps that's something! Ira: Yes indeed. Having a nice face is better than nothing!
ākuni [koe] i a au
1. I'll get you! I'll deal to you! wait 'til I get my hands on you! you'll get it! you just wait! you'd better watch out! - an idiom indicating that the speaker is fed up with or angry with what someone is doing or saying and warning them that if he/she is not careful there'll be trouble.
Ākuni koe i a au. Kia tere tō heke mai i te rākau nā! / You'll be in trouble soon. Hurry up and get down from that tree!
See also ākuanei [koe] i a au
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
noa iho
1. only, just, merely, quite, that and no more, that and nothing better, completely, totally - often has the sense of treating the things or activities it modifies as being of little importance. The iho following noa can also intensify the free from limitations meanings of noa.
I titiro noa iho mai ia ki a au. / She just looked at me.
Pūrikiriki noa iho te maihi o taua whare (White 2 1889:73). / The bargeboard of that house was completely shattered.
Synonyms: anake, anahe, nahe, tika, tou, noa, tōkeke, noa ake, tonu, ia, ia rā, heipū, mārie, mārika, mārire, kau, ake, tata, koia, rawa, āhua, anō, tino, kere, āta, hangehange, hengahenga, kāhua, (ko) tōna ... (nei)
rawa
1. (particle) indeed, really, exceedingly, exactly, so, very, quite, especially - a manner particle following immediately after the word it relates to to indicate extremeness or excessiveness. It may be used after all types of bases, but particularly with negatives, adjectives and verbs as described below. Where rawa follows a verb in the passive it will take a passive ending also, usually -tia. In this situation the passive ending may be dropped from the verb, but not from rawa.
(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 120; Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 44, 91-92;)
Hangaia rawatia he whare hou mōna (TTR 1996:134). / A new house was built especially for her.
Synonyms: koia, āhua, anō, tino, noa, tonu, kere, āta, hangehange, hengahenga, kāhua, (ko) tōna ... (nei), tou, noa iho, katoa, i neki, inā, ata, rā anō, rā pea, rānō, mārie, mārika, mārire, ia rā, koa, tinana, koia, koia, kē
2. (particle) eventually, finally, as soon as, by the time, only when, right up until - indicates a significant time lapse or effort and often follows verbs without verbal particles in subordinate clauses. Often followed by mai, atu, ake or iho.
(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 113;)
Tae rawa atu ia, kua moe kē a Herewini. / When they eventually arrived Selwyn was already asleep.
4. (particle) too, overly, unduly - this usage indicates an unsatisfactory degree of a quality or attribute (either excessive or inadequate).
(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 120; Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 44;)
5. (particle) very, extremely, so, most - when preceded by an adjective and followed by atu it expresses the superlative.
(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 120; Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 44;)
6. (particle) all the way, completely, right to, right above - when following location words.
I kumea te waka ki uta rawa. / The canoe was dragged all the way up the beach.
7. (particle) until, till - following kia and a verb.
Me tatari koe kia tae rawa mai te pahi. / You had better wait until the bus arrives.
8. (particle) must, really had better - following me and a verb, it intensifies the meaning of the obligation.
Me hoki rawa mai koe ā mua o te weheruatanga o te pō. / You really had better return before midnight.
Synonyms: mātua, me, hōpurupuru
9. (particle) highest - when following runga.
I piki a Tāne ki te rangi o runga rawa. / Tāne climbed to the highest of the heavens.
whakapai
1. (verb) (-a,-hia,-ngia,-tia) to make good, set in order, prepare.
I te mea ka mōhiotia ngō pō e puta ai a Whānui ka whakapaia ngā rua, ka rere a Whānui ka tīmata te hauhake i ngā kai (TWMNT 11/9/1872:110). / Because the nights when the star Vega appeared were known, the storage pits were prepared and when Vega rose the harvesting of the crops began.
Synonyms: takataka, whakareri, whakatau, whakatikatika, whakatakatū, takatū, whakatakataka, whakatika, pātā, whakataka, rāwekeweke, tītakataka, rahurahu, raweke, whakaute
2. (verb) (-a,-hia,-ngia,-tia) to make better, improve, revise, bless, set (a table).
I tino whakamihi a Te Taute ki a Ngāti Porou mō tō rātou kaha ki te whakapai i ō rātou whenua, ki te whakatupu hipi, mō te papai o ā rātou teihana hipi, o ā rātou wūruheti (TP 12/1907:11). / Mr Stout gave great praise to Ngāti Porou for their energy in improving their land, raising sheep and for the good state of their sheep stations and woolsheds.
Synonyms: whakahou
3. (verb) (-a,-ngia,-tia) to approve of, praise, compliment, acclaim, agree with.
E whakapai mai ana hoki te taha Kīngi Māori ki te pai o te whakahaere o tēnei Kāwanatanga ki te motu nei (TWMNT 7/2/1872:44). / And the Māori King side approves of this Government's administration of this country.
4. (modifier) commending.
E tīmata ana anō rānei mātou te whakapai ki a mātou anō? e pērā ana rānei me ētahi atu, e mea ana mātou ki ētahi pukapuka whakapai mā mātou ki a koutou, mā koutou rānei ki a mātou? (PT 2Koroniti 3:1). / Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?
5. (noun) praise, approval, compliment, acclaim.
I roto i tētahi nūpepa i Ākarana, i pai rawa ana tuhituhinga i mua atu nei, i puta nui te whakapai o te tini ki taua nūpepa, i nāianei kua huri, kua huri kōaro tōna koti, ā, kua āhua hauwarea noa iho (KA 1/1/1861:11). / In an Auckland newspaper his writings used to be of quality and many praised that newspaper, but now it has changed, it's the reverse and is quite inconsequential.
Synonyms: whakamanahau, moemiti, whakamihi, whakakorōria, whakamoemiti
6. (noun) preparation, improvement, reform.
Ko te aronga ake o tēnei rōpū ko te whakapai ake i ngā ture papori, hauora hoki mā roto mai i te Whare Paremata (Te Ara 2014). / The focus of this organisation was the improving the social and health laws in the New Zealand Parliament.
Synonyms: whakahoutanga, whakahouhou, whakatakatū, whakatakataka, whakatika, whakatikatika, whakatakanga, whakareri
7. (noun) support, endorsement.
Ko tēnā mahi he tautoko tonu i te maungārongo, nā konei ka nui tōku whakapai atu ki a ia mō tēnā (KO 17/5/1886:7). / That action advocates peace, and so I strongly support him on that.
ākuanei [koe] i a au
1. I'll get you! I'll deal to you! you'd better be careful - an idiom indicating that the speaker is fed up with or angry with what someone is doing or saying and warning them that if he/she is not careful there'll be trouble.
Ākuanei koe i a au. Kia tere tō hoki mai ki te kāinga! / You'll be in trouble soon. Hurry up and come home!
See also ākene [koe] i a au
ākene [koe] i a au
1. I'll get you! I'll deal to you! you'd better be careful, you watch it or else - an idiom indicating that the speaker is fed up with or angry with what someone is doing or saying and warning them that if he/she is not careful there'll be trouble.
See also ākuni [koe] i a au
pai kē atu
1. better, nicer, superior.
He maha hoki ngā whare kua kitea e au he whare nunui, he pai a waho ki te titiro atu, ko roto ia he pai ke atu ngā wharepuni (TP 12/1906:3). / And there are many houses that I have seen that are large with nice exteriors to look at, but inside the sleeping houses are even better.
