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Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

whānau

1. (verb) (-a) to be born, give birth.

I whānau au ki Nūhaka, Hāki Pei, i te 10 o ngā rā o Maramarima, tau 1904, i tō mātau kāinga e pātata atu ana ki te awa o Nūhaka (HP 1991:12). / I was born at Nūhaka, Hawkes Bay, on the 10th May, 1904, at our home close to the Nūhaka River.

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2. (noun) extended family, family group, a familiar term of address to a number of people - the primary economic unit of traditional Māori society. In the modern context the term is sometimes used to include friends who may not have any kinship ties to other members.

(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 3; Te Pihinga Textbook (Ed. 2): 52-54;)

E ai ki te kōrero a te whānau, kāre i iti iho i te tokoiwa ngā wāhine, tokorua ngā tāne (TTR 1996:100). / According to family information, there were no fewer than nine girls and two boys.

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whānau mārama

1. (noun) celestial bodies - stars, planets, meteors, constellations, comets, the sun, the moon.

(Te Kōhure Textbook (Ed. 2): 165-180;)

Ko te ingoa o te Māori mō te huinga o te rā, te marama, ngā aorangi, ngā whetū, ngā kāhui whetū, ko te whānau mārama (Te Ara 2013). / The Māori name for the sun, moon, planets, stars and constellations and stars is the 'whānau mārama' (family of light).

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rā whānau

1. (noun) birthday, happy birthday.

Nō te rā whānau o te Kīngi (Hune 3) ka whakaputaina ngā hōnore ki ngā tāngata nunui o tana emepaea (TTT 1/6/1927:610). / On the birthday of the King (June 3) the honours for the important people of his empire were announced.

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whānau ariki

1. (noun) celestial bodies - stars, planets, meteors, constellations, comets, the sun, the moon.

(Te Kōhure Textbook (Ed. 2): 165-180;)

E mōhiotia ana ngā mea katoa kei te rangi ko te whānau ariki, ko te whānau mārama anō hoki (Wh4 2004:165). / All the things in the sky are known as the 'whānau ariki' and the 'whānau mārama'.

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See also whānau mārama


2. (noun) aristocratic family.

Ko te āhua nei, nā Te Marae i whakarite te mārena o Piupiu ki a Kainuku Vaikai, ki te whanaunga o Mākea Nui o te whānau ariki o Rarotonga (TTR 1996:253). / It would seem that Te Marae arranged Piupiu's marriage to Kainuku Vaikai, a kinsman of the Makea Nui ariki family of Rarotonga.

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whānau pani

1. (noun) chief mourners, bereaved family - the relations of the deceased.

Ko te whānau pani e horopaki ana i te rua tūpāpaku (PK 2008:135). / The bereaved family surrounded the grave.

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whānau poka

1. (noun) Caesarean birth, Caesarean section.

Ki te kore e taea e te wahine tana pēpi te pana ki waho, ka pokaina te puku o te wahine, mā konei e tangohia ai tana pēpi. Ka kīia tēnei ko te whānau poka (RP 2009:453). / If a woman isn't able to push out her baby, the abdomen of the woman is cut open and her baby is delivered this way. This is said to be a Caesarian section.

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whānau kōaro

1. (noun) breach birth.

Mehemea ka puta tuatahi mai ko ngā waewae o te pēpi, kaua ko te māhunga, ka kīia tērā ko te whanau kōaro. / If the legs of the baby come out first, not the head, that is said to be a breech birth.

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whānau meka matua

1. (noun) family of facts (maths).

Mō ia paheko tau, arā anō ētahi paheko e noho whanaunga mai ana. Ina whakaemia ēnei paheko whanaunga, e kīia ana he whānau meka matua. Hei tauira, mō te 3 + 4 = 7, koia nei te katoa o te whānau meka matua: 3 + 4 = 7; 4 + 3 = 7; 7 - 3 = 4;7 - 4 = 3 (TRP 2010:331). / For each number operation there are other operations which are related. Together they are called a family of facts. For example, 3 + 4 = 7; 4 + 3 = 7; 7 - 3 = 4;7 - 4 = 3 is a family of facts (TRP 2010:331).

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Kōmihana ā whānau

1. (noun) Families Commission.

whānau a Tamanuiterā

1. (noun) solar system.

Ko te whānau a Tamanuiterā ko te rā me ōna whetūao, otirā ko ngā mea katoa e amio haere ana i te ātea o Tamanuiterā, arā ko ngā mea katoa o te whānau mārama. / The solar system is the sun and planets, along with all the bodies in space orbiting the sun, that is all the celestial bodies.

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Whānau-a-Apanui, Te

1. (noun) tribal group from Maraenui to Tihirau on the East Coast, who descend from Apanui-waipapa.

(Te Kākano Textbook (Ed. 2): 42;)

Hei tamāhine tēnei mā te tohunga rā, mā Hōri Kēti o Te Whānau-a-Apanui (TTR 1994:6). / She was daughter to the renowned tohunga of Te Whānau-a-Apanui, George Gage.

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Kōti ā-Whānau Aotearoa, Te

1. (loan) Family Court of New Zealand.

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