Kiwiisms
Kiwiisms, idioms, slang, kiwi glossary, kiwi speak, vernacular.
Here are some kiwi phrases and words that you might like to know about.
- across the ditch
- in Australia (or New Zealand depending on which side or the Tasman Sea you are on). Also "over the ditch"
- Aotearoa
- New Zealand
- arvo
- afternoon
- bach
- holiday cottage or cottage. See also crib
- back of beyond
- far away from civilisation, amenities, help, or assiatance. See also wops
- balls up
- mistake
- banger
- sausage. "Put the banger on the barbie".
- barbie
- barbecue
- beauty
- someone who has done exceptionally well. "You beauty". Also an exceptional looker
- bloke
- man
- boot
- car trunk
- born in a tent
- someone who leaves the door open
- box of fluffies
- feel great, 100%, perfect
- bring a plate
- bring a plate of finger food to a gathering
- brouhaha
- fuss
- bush
- forest
- by hook or by crook
- will get a task completed or a problem solved no matter what it takes
- cark
- die. "The mower carked it yesterday". Also kark.
- carry on
- fuss; naughty behaviour
- chemist
- pharmacy; drug store
- chin wag
- chat; talk
- chips
- fries
- cheerio
- goodbye; cocktail sausage. See also hooray, snag
- chocka
- full; overflowing; chock-a-block
- chocker
- full, replete
- chocolate fish
- marshmallow fish chocolate coated, often given or offered as a reward
- chunder
- vomit. See also spew
- clobber
- clothing or gear
- cockup
- mistake
- college
- high school
- cracker
- very good; excellent. "Its a cracker"
- crib
- holiday cottage or cottage, used in South Island; see also bach
- courgette
- see zucchini
- dairy
- corner store
- dock
- to remove an animals tail
- dunny
- toilet
- dutch
- to share the bill or cost equally. "Let's go dutch"
- flicks
- movie; cinema
- full tit
- as fast as possible. "We were running full tit"
- gander
- look. "Have a gander at this"
- gidday
- hello
- good as gold
- fine; OK
- guts for garters
- In a heap of trouble. "I'll have your guts for garters"
- hapū
- sub tribe
- hard yakka
- hard, generally physical, work. "It was hard yakka"
- hooray
- goodbye
- hui
- meeting, gathering
- iwi
- tribe[1]
- jandals
- thongs; flip-flops
|
- ka pai
- OK, good
- kai
- food
- kaimoana
- seafood
- kark
- die. "The car karked it on the Paraparas". Also cark.
- kaumātua
- old person with knowledge and wisdom
- kiwi
- New Zealand bird; New Zealander
- knackered
- tired, exhausted, worn out
- koha
- donation, gift
- kumara
- sweet potato
- left in the lurch
- let down
- lift
- elevator
- loo
- toilet
- marmite
- a dark yeast based spread used on bread or toast - eaten by kiwis. See also vegemite
- munted
- damaged; broken. "Its munted". Also stuffed.
- OK
- fine; yes
- out of the box
- perfect (as in brand new)
- out of the blue
- totally unexpected; surprise
- pinch
- steal
- pissing down
- torrential downpour of rain
- pong
- bad smell
- pot luck
- bring a dish to a meal
- prang
- accident involving moving and another object
- rark
- tell off; stir up. "She needs a good rarking". "Its time things were rarked up".
- rattle yer dags
- hurry up
- rooted
- knackered, munted
- rotary hoe
- right-oh. "Rotary hoe, off we go".
- sheila
- woman
- shoot through
- leave quickly. "I'll shoot through if they find out"
- shout
- to treat; to pay for. "Its my shout"
- slash
- urinate. "I'm going to have a slash"
- snag
- sausage; problem
- snagged
- caught on something, generally referring to a fishing line or rope
- she'll be right
- it will work out OK in the end
- sorted
- to fix; to work out; to understand. "You better get it sorted"
- sparrow fart
- before sunrise; very early in the morning
- spew
- vomit. See also chunder
- spit the dummy
- loose control or temper
- stoked
- feel great, very pleased
- stuffed
- worn out; broken. Also munted.
- sweets
- confectionary, candy, lollies
- ta
- thankyou
- tai ho
- slow down, wait, stop
- take-aways
- food purchased to be eaten elsewhere
- throw a wobbly
- loose control or temper
- throw your toys out of the cot
- loose control or temper
- ticketty-boo
- all right, smoothly. "Everything is ticketty-boo".
- tin-arse
- lucky, fortunate
- togs
- swimming costume; bathers
- tomato sause
- ketchup
- tough bikkies
- nothing can be done about it, get over it
- tramping
- hiking; hill walking
- tupping
- when the ram is put in with the ewes
- ute
- pickup truck; utility vehicle
- varsity
- university
- vegemite
- a dark yeast based spread used on bread or toast - eaten by Australians. See also marmite
- waiata
- song
- whaka
- canoe
- whānau
- extended family
- wet blanket
- a person who doesn't take part or finds reasons not to do something
- whakapapa
- genealogy, family tree
- whare
- building, house
- wops
- wop-wops; a long way from anywhere; far from a city or town. See also back of beyond
- yack
- chat; talk
- yarn
- conversation; exchange stories
- yonks
- a long time ago. "I haven't seen them for yonks"
- zucchini
- see courgette
|
See also
|
|
|
in te reo Māori and English
|
a ā A Ā
e ē E Ē
i ī I Ī
o ō O Ō
u ū U Ū
