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Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

puipuiaki

1. (modifier) rare, precious, valued, prized.


2. (noun) treasure.

Whakamahia anō ngā angaanga hei kanohi mō ngā whakairo. Ko te kōngutu o te angaanga ka auahatia hei mahi pā kahawai. Whakairotia anō ngā angaanga hei puipuiaki (Te Ara 2012). / The shells are used for the eyes in carvings, and the lip of the shell was fashioned into a fishing lure. The shells are also decorated for jewellery.

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huia kaimanawa

1. treasure - a figurative expression for anything prized.

Haere rā, e te wai o aku kamo, hei hari kōrero atu ki te huia kaimanawa (W 1971:67). / Farewell, the tears from my eyes, and take the stories to the treasured one.

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kaingākau

1. (verb) (-tia) to prize greatly, value, treasure, fond of, take pleasure in.

Ka haere tonu ngā mahi a Te Rangi Hīroa ki te whai i te kaupapa i kaingākautia nei e ia, arā, te mātauranga tikanga tangata (TTR 1996:14). / Buck continued to pursue the discipline that was dear to him, which was anthropology.

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See also kaingākaunui

Synonyms: kaingākaunui

kaitiaki moni

1. (loan) (noun) cashier, treasurer.

I ngā rā tīmata ake o Te Tatau-o-te-Pō, riro ana ko Eruera te kaiwhakahaere, te kaitiaki moni hoki (TTR 2000:103). / In the early days of Te Tatau-o-te-Pō meeting house, Eruera was administrator and treasurer.

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kura

1. (adjective) be red, scarlet.


2. (modifier) red, scarlet, red feather.

He kahu kura te kākahu (NM 1928:87). / The garment was a red feather cloak.

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Synonyms: pākurakura, ura, whero, nganangana, ngangana, tōwhero, waipū, kākaramea, pūwhero, hīwera


3. (noun) red feathers, feathers used as decoration, treasure, valued possession, heirloom, precious possession, sacred, divine law, philosophy, darling, chief.

Takoto mai, e koro, kia tangihia koe e ō iwi. Auē! Ka mau te punga here o te waka nei. Ka ngaro koe, te kaihautū, te kākākura o roto i te pōkai, te puhi o Aotearoa, te kura whakahirahira o Te Waipounamu, te mauri o te whenua, te mauri o te tangata, haere! Haere rā! (TP 7/1906:9). / Lie in state, sir, to be wept over by your people. Oh, dear! The anchor of this canoe is taken. You are gone, the fugleman, the leader of the flock, the adored one of the North Island, the important treasure of the South Island, the life force of the land and the people. Depart! Farewell!

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Synonyms: tapu, whakatapu, puaroa, rapunga whakaaro


4. (noun) glow.

Ko ngā ingoa o taua kura koia tēnei - he āniwaniwa, he koroirangi kei te rā, kei te marama, kei te whakaumu te marama, te rā rānei, koia nei ngā whakahua. Engari ko te tino ingoa ia he kurahaupō tō te marama, he kura-hau-awatea tō te rā (JPS 1927:357). / The names of that glow are these - āniwaniwa and koroirangi pertain to the sun or moon, when the moon or sun are encircled, those are the terms. But the genuine names are kurahaupō, that is of the moon, and kura-hau-awatea is that of the sun.

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5. (noun) bar-tailed godwit, Limosa lapponica - a brown-and-white migratory wading bird with a long, slightly upturned, black bill and a pink base which breeds in the northern hemisphere and summers in the southern. This term is applied to the red plumage of the bird immediately prior to the migration to the northern hemisphere.

Ka mārama pea te manu nei: he kuaka te ingoa iwi, he kura, he kakao, he karoro, ngā ingoa hapū (HKW 1/11/1901:1). / This bird probably needs explaining: the species name is 'kuaka' and 'kura', 'kakao' and 'karoro' are the varietal names.

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See also kuaka

Synonyms: rakakao, kakao, hakakao, tarakakao, rīrīwaka, kuhikuhiwaka, karoro, kuaka

māpihi maurea

1. (noun) object of affection, treasure.

Ka naomia mai e aku tuākana rangatira e Te Hati rāua ko Te Ngārara Houkāmau, e tō mātau pāpā hoki, e Hōri Mahue 'hei piki kōtuku ki ō rātau māhunga, hei māpihi maurea ki ō rātau taringa' (TTT 1/5/1926:401). / My senior chiefs, Te Hati and Te Ngārara Houkāmau, and our uncle, George Mahue, grabbed her 'as a plume for their heads and as a treasure for their ears'.

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Synonyms: makau, kaitokomauri

ohooho

1. (verb) to be awake, alert, of great value, needing care.

Ohooho ana ngā kau, ina whakatuwhera ia i tō rātou taiepa, piri ana te hiore o tana kurī ki waenganui o ngā waewae ka titiro kōtaha mai, mehemea nei e whakaaro ana kei te riri rānei tana ariki, kei te pēhea rānei (TH 1/12/1859:3). / The cows are alert when he opens their paddock and his dog's tail is between its legs and it looks sideways to see whether his master is angry or how his mood is.

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2. (modifier) alert, awake.

He manu ohooho te koreke, ka whiti, ka rere, i konei ka rongohia te pakipaki o ana huruhuru (Te Ara 2016). / The New Zealand quail was an alert bird and when disturbed it would fly off and that's when the whirring of feathers was heard.

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3. (noun) treasure of immense value.

Ko tōku reo, tōku ohooho, tōku māpihi maurea, tōku whakakai marihi (HM 2/1990). / My language is my precious gift, my object of affection and my prized ornament.

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papa hou

1. (noun) treasure box, carved box for holding feathers.

piki kōtuku

1. (noun) darling, treasure, symbol of prestige and uniqueness.

Ka naomia mai e aku tuākana rangatira e Te Hati rāua ko Te Ngārara Houkāmau, e tō mātau pāpā hoki, e Hōri Mahue 'hei piki kōtuku ki ō rātau māhunga, hei māpihi maurea ki ō rātau taringa' (TTT 1/5/1926:401). / My senior chiefs, Te Hati and Te Ngārara Houkāmau, and our uncle, George Mahue, grabbed her 'as a plume for their heads and as a treasure for their ears'.

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puhi

1. (verb) to adorn with feathers.

He mea puhi ngā makawe ki ngā huia hei whakapaipai i a ia. / The hair was adorned with huia feathers to make her look beautiful.

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2. (noun) topknot, bunch (of feathers, etc.), treasure.

Takoto mai, e koro, kia tangihia koe e ō iwi. Auē! Ka mau te punga here o te waka nei. Ka ngaro koe, te kaihautū, te kākākura o roto i te pōkai, te puhi o Aotearoa, te kura whakahirahira o Te Waipounamu, te mauri o te whenua, te mauri o te tangata, haere! Haere rā! (TP 7/1906:9) / Lie in state, sir, to be wept over by your people. Oh, dear! The anchor of this canoe is taken. You are gone, the fugleman, the leader of the flock, the adored one of the North Island, the important treasure of the South Island, the life force of the land and the people. Depart! Farewell!

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3. (noun) plume, plumed rods, feather ornaments on a canoe.

Ko te puhi o runga o te waka, arā, o te tauihu, ka ingoatia tērā ko Puhi-maroke. Ko te puhi o raro o te tauihu o te waka, ka ingoatia tērā ko Puhi-mākū (JPS 1957:221). / The upper plume at the bow was called Puhi-maroke (Dry plume). The lower plume of the bow was called Puhi-mākū (Wet plume).

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Synonyms: awe, rau, ihiihi

puhipuhi

1. (verb) (pūhia,-tia) to bunch up.

Ko te uru, he kehu, arā, i āhua whero, ā, kāhore i tikitikia; he mea puhipuhi kia pūhihi, ā nui noa atu te āhua pokuru, me te āhua whanewhane nei i te tū mai (JPS 1896:4). / Their hair was also light-coloured, that is reddish, and never bound up in a top-knot, it was bunched out to be stiff, and appeared in lumps (or tufts), and they looked irritable as they stood there.

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2. (verb) (-a,-tia) to decorate with feathers or hair.

He tino kūare rawa ngā iwi Hauhau ki te pūtoi kererū hei puhipuhi mō tana tewhatewha (TWM 26/8/1865:5). / The Hauhau tribes were very uninformed about bunches of pigeon feathers as adornment for his tewhatewha.

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3. (noun) topknot, bunch of feathers, treasure.


4. (noun) feather ornaments on a canoe.

Ka oti tēnā, ka tīmata rātou ki te whakanoho i ngā puhipuhi o te waka (JPS 1957:223). / When that was done they commenced to set the plumes of the canoe into place.

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puiaki

1. (adjective) be rare, precious, valued, prized.

Āe, he tino puiaki koe ki ahau (TWK 56:23). / Yes, you are very precious to me.

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2. (modifier) rare, precious, valued, prized.

Mai i tō kōkā, ki ahau, ko koe te tangata tino puiaki o tēnei ao katoa (TWK 56:23). / You are the most precious person in the whole world to your mother and me.

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Synonyms: whakaonge, mokorea, ouou, mokomokorea, matapopore, puipuiaki, hokoi, tongarerewa, piripoho, kāmehameha, māpuna, tongarewa, marihi, matahīapo, matenui, kahurangi, mōmōhanga


3. (noun) treasure, prize.

He paru te puiaki o te autaia mate nei, nā reira i tika ai kia whakapaia ō tātou kāinga, whare, me ō tātou tinana (HKW 1/4/1900:2). / Filth is this terrible disease's treasure, so clean up our homes, buildings and our bodies.

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Synonyms: matapopore, paraihe, whakamānawa

kahurangi

1. (adjective) be blue, precious.

Ko ngā arero e whā, he kōwhai, he whero, he kahurangi, he pango (HM 4/1994:12). / The four tongues are yellow, red, blue and black.

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2. (modifier) blue.

He mate anō tō te kupu kahurangi. Ko tēnei kupu (me te kupu kikorangi) e whakamahia whānuitia ana mō ngā momo kahurangi katoa (HM 3/1992:5). / There's also a problem with the word 'kahurangi' (blue). This word (and the word 'kikorangi') are used generally for all shades of blue.

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3. (modifier) prized, precious, honourable, distinguished.

Taku tau kahurangi ka makere, ē, i ahau (M 2004:324). / My honourable lover has fallen from me.

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Synonyms: matapopore, māpuna, tongarewa, marihi, matahīapo, matenui, mōmōhanga, puipuiaki, puiaki, hokoi, kāmehameha, piripoho, tongarerewa


4. (noun) treasured possession, darling, jewel.

He kahurangi ia, he matahīapo i te iwi (TWMNT 26/1/1875:22). / She was a darling, a treasure of the people.

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Synonyms: tongarerewa


5. (noun) illustrious person, famous person, person of high rank, chieftain, lady of high rank.

KI ngā iwi, ki ngā hapū, me ngā mana e pupuri mai nei i te mana Māori, i ngā marae o Aotearoa me Te Waipounamu, tēnā rā koutou, ngā morehu a Aituā, tūāhuatanga o ēnā o ō tātou rangatira ka riro rā ki Paerau, ki te huinga o te kahurangi, ki te takotoranga tē taea te whakakorikori (TP 8/1912:7). / To the tribes, subtribes and the people of standing retaining Māori status on the marae of the North and South Islands, greetings to you all, who are the survivors of misfortune and stand in place of our leaders who have departed to the meeting place of the dead, to the gathering of the illustrious, to the resting place from which you are not able to move.

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6. (noun) light green, translucent variety of greenstone without flaws or spots - a highly valued variety.

Heoi, whakamanawanui tonu, ka kitea ngā kōwhatu pounamu i konei e Hine-ahu. Nō te tangihanga o Hine-ahu, koia te tangiwai. Nō te nui o tōna rangatiratanga, koia te kahurangi; mō tōna tīparetanga ki te kawakawa koia te kawakawa (JPS 1914:8). / Nevertheless, they went on with stout hearts, and then Hine-ahu discovered some greenstone. Because of her lamentations it was called 'tangiwai'. Because of her rank the kahurangi greenstone was so named; and from her making of headband of kawakawa leaves the kawakawa greenstone variety was named.

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7. (personal noun) Dame (title).

I ngā tau tōmua o te tekau tau 2000 ka eke ētahi tāngata Māori ki mua i te aroaro o te iwi whānui o Aotearoa, kua hau rānei te rongo ki te ao mō ā rātau mahi. Ko ētahi o tēnei hunga ko Kahurangi Kiri Te Kanawa rātou ko te kaiwhakahaere kiriata a Lee Tamahori, te kōtiro whakaari a Keisha Castle-Hughes, te toa haupōro a Michael Campbell, te tohungatā a Ralph Hōtere, ngā kaituhi a Patricia Grace me Witi Ihimaera (Te Ara 2014). / In the early 2000s a number of Māori individuals were regarded as major national figures or had international reputations in their chosen fields. Among them were the opera singer Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, film director Lee Tamahori, child actor Keisha Castle-Hughes, golfer Michael Campbell, artist Ralph Hotere, and writers Patricia Grace and Witi Ihimaera (Te Ara 2014).

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raukura

1. (noun) feather plume, treasure.

Kātahi te tamāhine ka tahuri ki te tātai i a ia, nā ka heru i a ia, nā ka rākei i a ia ki ōna kaitaka, ka tia hoki i tōna māhunga ki te raukura - —ko ngā raukura he huia, he kōtuku, he toroa, ka oti (NM 1928:198). / Then the daughter set about adorning herself, placing a comb in her hair, dressing herself in fine kaitaka cloaks, and placing feather plumes in her hair - feather plumes of huia, white heron and albatross feathers, and then she was finished.

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waka huia

1. (noun) treasure box.

Ko te taonga mā Pirinihehe Ana he waka huia, pērā me te papahou, engari he paku iho (TWK 19:40). / The gift for Princess Ann was a waka huia (treasure box), which is like a papahou, but smaller.

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See also waka

māreikura

1. (verb) nobly born female.

Ko Rīpeka Pōmare tana wahine tuarua, he māreikura nō Te Māhia (TTR 1994:204). / Rīpeka Pōmare, his second wife, was a high-born woman from Māhia.

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2. (noun) an order of female supernatural beings corresponding to the male whatukura.

I whakatapua a runga o taua maunga hai wāhi tapu, hai wāhi karakiatanga i ngā tino karakia tapu ki a Io-matua-te-kore me ngā whatukura, me ngā māreikura, me ngā uruao, me ngā rāhuikura o ngā rangi tūhāhā, me ērā atu apa atua katoa o aua rangi (JPS 1927:350). / The summit of that mountain was placed under tapu as a place for the performing of tapu rites connected with Io the Parentless and the whatukura [messengers, etc., of Io] and mareikura [celestial maids], also the denizens of the upper heavens, and other spirits of those heavens.
Ko te rangi i noho ai te atua, ko Toi-o-ngā-rangi, arā ko Tikitiki-o-rangi. Ko ngā atua e uru atu ana ki reira ko ngā whatukura, he atua tāne. Ko tō rātou whare ko Rangiātea. Ko ngā māreikura, he atua wahine. Ko tō rātou whare ko Te Rauroha (TTT 1/5/1924:38). / The heaven where the atua dwells is Toi-o-ngā-rangi, that is Tikitiki-o-rangi. The atua enter there are the the whatukura, the male atua. Their house is Rangiātea. The māreikura are the female atua.Their house is Te Rauroha.

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3. (noun) esteemed friend, respected friend, treasure, darling - a term of endearment.

See also tuhi māreikura

Synonyms: tuhi māreikura

matahīapo

1. (modifier) precious, prized.

Hei tohu i te mana me te awe hoki o Mere Rikiriki, i tāpaetia atu ai e Kīngi Tāwhiao he haki māna, e mau nei te ingoa ko 'E Te Iwi Kia Ora'; kātahi te taonga matahīapo ko tēnei (TTR 1996:171) / Mere Rikiriki's mana and influence is symbolised by King Tāwhiao's presentation to her of the flag 'E Te Iwi Kia Ora'; what a prized possession this was.

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Synonyms: māpuna, tongarewa, marihi, matenui, kahurangi, mōmōhanga, tongarerewa, puiaki, hokoi, kāmehameha, piripoho, puipuiaki, matapopore


2. (noun) treasure, prized possession.

He kahurangi ia, he matahīapo i te iwi (TWMNT 26/1/1875:22). / She was a darling, a treasure of the people.

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Synonyms: ika

kaingākaunui

1. (verb) (-tia) to prize greatly, value, treasure, cherish, appreciate.

He tikanga tonu nāna te whakamau i āna manuhiri taiea ki te kahu kairangi, ki te taonga pounamu rānei, he mea tango tonu mai i te whakaputunga taonga i kaingākaunuitia e rāua ko tōna hoa (TTR 1996:20). / It was a custom of hers to present her honoured guests with fine cloaks or greenstone artefacts from her and her husband's' treasured collection.

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Synonyms: kaingākau

tuhi māreikura

1. (noun) ornamentation of the forehead with red ochre.

Ko te tuhi kōrae, arā ko te tuhi mareikura, i haea tikatia ngā tuhi mai i tētahi taha o te rae ki tētahi taha (M 2006:206). / The marking of the forehead was the noble mark which was drawn straight across from one side of the forehead to the other side.

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2. (noun) esteemed friend, respected friend, treasure, darling - a term of endearment.

Tēnei kua kitea iho i roto i ngā parirau o te manu nei a 'Te Pīpī' tētahi tuhi māreikura, mō tō tatou hoa, mō Rena Peneti (TJ 23/5/1899:9). / Now a treasure has been revealed in the wings of this bird, 'Te Pipi' ['Te Pipiwharauroa' newspaper] for our friend, Rena Bennett.

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Synonyms: māreikura

oha

1. (verb) (-ngia,-tia) to leave as a bequest.

Kua parākiritia hoki tā rātou taonga ki a rātou, kua ohangia (TWMNT 7/11/1876:287). / To them their treasure is established, it has become a bequest.

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2. (verb) to be abundant, plentiful.

Ka rāhuitia ngā pipi, ka oha (W 1971:237). / When the cockles are protected from being harvested they become plentiful.

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Synonyms: rahi, rarawe, rari, hāwere, ngahoro, pukahu, nui, hira, pōike, maruru, ngahiri, ngeangea


3. (modifier) generous, munificent, magnanimous.

Kāre i ārikarika te whakaaro nui me te maimai aroha o ngā iwi o Te Araroa me Wharekahika mō te ngākau oha o ngā mahi a Wī Repa mā rātau (TTR 1996:279). / The people of Te Araroa and Hicks Bay had great respect and affection for Wī Repa's selfless service to them.

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Synonyms: ohaoha


4. (noun) generosity, largesse, munificence.

He mea whakamīharo tana oha ki te tangata (TTR 1996:94). / His generosity to others was remarkable.

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5. (noun) relic, keepsake, gift, treasured bequest.

He manu tawhito, he oha nā ngā mea kua ngaro atu ki te pō, he oha nā ngā tūpuna (TP 1/1/1899:2). / It is an ancient bird, a gift by the ones who have gone to the world of the dead, a gift by the ancestors.

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See also owha

Synonyms: manatunga, owha, whakamahara, whakaturi

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