New Zealand Expressions
Created | Updated Nov 8, 2002
The following is a collection of NZ expressions, some derived from Australian or British expressions, but many originals. Maori words are included when they are in common usage in NZ english.
A into G: to get going (Get your A into G = Get your arse into gear!)
A and P Show: Agricultural and Pastoral Show (annual country fair, held in many small towns)
After-match: social occasion after a rugby match.
Anklebiter: toddler, kids.
Antipodes: the point on the earth's surface opposite another point. NZ is regarded as the antipodes of Britain (although NZ is actually more exactly opposite Spain.)
Anzac: Australia and New Zealand Army Corps, who won the war (with a little help from the other allies).
Anzac biscuit: biscuit made of oats, firm in consistency.
Anzac Day: April 25. NZ and Aust remembrance day, when dawn Anzac parades are held.
Aoraki: Maori name for Mount Cook, New Zealand's highest mountain at 3754 metres.
Aotearoa: Maori name for New Zealand (translated as "Land of the long white cloud")
Aroha: love (Maori)
Arse: bottom (crude).
Arse over kite / Arse over turkey: fallen over, head over heels.
Arvo: afternoon (Aust. origin)
Atua: God (Maori)
Australasia: the word used when referring to both NZ and Australia.
Autumn Muster: In April the sheep are herded down from the mountains, before the winter snows. A major event of the farmimg year.
Away laughing: No more worries (see "Home and hosed").
Bach: small holiday home usually at the beach, and traditionally made by the owner from materials at hand, bits of 4 by 2, tin, fibrolite, etc, painted unusual colours and decorated in an individual way. New Zealand classic, but now a dying breed thanks to new building codes. (The word derives from "bachelor pad") (See also "Crib"). See guide entry http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A509087.
Backblocks: remote hinterland.
Bail: to get out, fast.
Bang goes: the end of something ("We lost, so bang goes our chance of reaching the finals.")
Barbie: barbeque, BBQ.
Beauty!: exclamation of approval or delight ("You beauty!")
Beech tree: Southern beech, Nothofagus species, main tree of NZ mountainous regions.
Beehive: NZ Parliament Buildings in Wellington, named after the shape of the building, no reference to any workers or queens in there!
Beeswax: ("None of your beeswax" = mind your own business, don't get smart)
Bellbird: NZ native bird with particularly melodic song.
Big bickies: lots of money.
the Big One: the big earthquake that most of New Zealand lives under threat of.
Billy: tin or aluminium pot, often hung over a fire to boil.
Biscuit: cookie.
Bivouac or Bivvy: temporary rough camp made by a hiker or alpinist.
Black Caps: name given to the national cricket team.
Bloke: man.
Bloody-hell: all-purpose expletive.
Blow up: referee blows the whistle in rugby game to stop play.
Bludge: to live off the generosity of others, to sponge.
Bluff: cliff, a common feature of the mountainous NZ landscape
The Bluff: the southernmost town in New Zealand ("from Cape Reinga to the Bluff" = throughout the land)
Bog: toilet (crude, but in common usage)
Bog-standard: normal, average, usual, nothing special.
Bonk: to have sex with.
(up the) Boohai: remote (from Puhoi, a remote North Island town).
Bomb: (referring to car) very old car in disrepair.
Bombay Hills: the Southernmost limit of Auckland, a pschological divide between Auckland and the rest of New Zealand.
Boohai: remote place ("up the Boohai" - probably an alteration of Puhoi, a town north of Auckland which was difficult of access last century.)
Bottle Store: wholesale liquor store
Box: device for protecting male genitalia while playing cricket.
Box of birds: cheerful, happy, having no worries.
One out of the Box: outstandingly fine, one of the best.
Box seat: favoured position ("After bowling Australia out for 125, New Zealand are in the box seat in the first test in Wellington")
Brekkie: breakfast.
Bro: brother, used by Maori people of other Maoris, especially about extended family members.
Brown-nose: ingratiating person, arse-licker
(as fit as a) Buck rat: very fit.
Bugger: man, chap, bloke - only slightly derogatory ("He was a funny-looking bugger.")
Bugger!: general expression of dismay.
Bugger all: not much, very little.
Buggered: very tired.
B******t artist: out and out liar.
Bum-bag: small pouch worn around the waist.
Bum steer: misleading directions.
Bun-fight: social gathering with food.
(give it a) Burl: give it a try.
Bush: native forest.
Bush lawyer: a thorny bramble that grows in thickets in lowland bush.
Bushcraft: skills of survivial in the bush.
Bushed: lost in the bush, caught out, benighted.
Bushline: upper altitude limit of forest growth.
Bust a gut: make an intense effort.
Butcher's: a look (rhyming slang - butcher's hook)
Buzzy bee: a traditional Kiwi children's toy, made of wood. Anklebiters drag it behind them, and it makes a clicky sound.
BYO: Bring Your Own (liquor), particularly to a restaurant.
Cabbage tree: Cordyline australis, palm-like tree with strong trunk and clusters of frond-like leaves (actually belongs to the lily family and is the largest of that family)
Cactus: trouble ("he'll get in the cactus for that.")
Cairn: track marker made from a pile of stones (from Scots).
Calling God on the great white telephone: vomiting (into the toilet).
Can it: throw it away, forget it.
Captain Cooker: wild pig, allegedly descended from pigs released on Cook's 1769 journey to NZ
Carked it: died, kicked the bucket.
Catchment: watershed, the collecting-area for a river's water.
Cattle-stop: steel bars over a pit in a roadway, where the road goes through a fenceline, which cattle cannot cross, but vehicles may drive easily over.
Chat-up: flirt, try pick-up lines on someone.
Cheers: good-bye; thank-you.
Chilly bin: container for keeping food and drinks cool in summer.
Choc-a-block: very full.
Choice: very good.
Chook: chicken.
Chrissy: Christmas.
Chuffed: pleased, proud (e.g. "When Fred's son won the prize he was chuffed.")
Chunder: to vomit.
Clag: mist, cloud, particularly in the mountains - "Clagged in".
Claytons: erzatz - the drink (or whatever) you're having when you're not having a drink (or whatever). From a brand of dreadful Australian alcohol-free "spirit"-like beverage.
the Coast: usually refers the the West Coast of the South Island.
Coaster: someone who lives on the West Coast, a unique breed.
Cobber: mate, close friend (older generation term)
Collywobbles: upset stomach.
Cor blimey: exclamation of disbelief, derived from "God blind me".
Cordial: fruit-flavoured soft drink.
Corker: very good.
Coromandel Green: marijuana, so called because much is purportedly grown there.
Couch: sofa.
Cow cockie: dairy farmer.
Cracker: plain dry biscuit, eaten with cheese (usually).
Cracker: very good!
Crash hot: excellent!
Crib: small holiday home, South Island term (see bach).
Crook: sick, unwell. (To put someone crook - to give bad advice.)
Dag: an amusing person or situation, also the perianal section of a sheep's fleece (e.g. "What a dag!" = "How funny").
Dairy: convenience store.
Dallie: Dalmatian, NZ immigrants from Dalmatia, a part of Croatia on the Adriatic coast, who arrived in NZ in the 1890's to work as Kauri Gum diggers, before eventually founding the NZ wine industry in West Auckland.
Damn sight: a lot. ("It's not perfect, but it's a damn sight better than it was.")
Dinkum: fair, honest, true (from British dialect)
the Ditch: the Tasman Sea.
the Divide: the main divide of the Southern Alps.
Dob in: betray to authorities
Dodgy: suspicious; a person with questionable motives.
in the Dog box: in disgrace, unpopular, out of favour (particularly with the wife!)
Dole: unemployment benefit; hence "dole-bludger".
Drag the chain: be slow, or the slowest in the group (from shearing gang expression.)
Dreaded lurgy: viral illness, or perhaps an imaginary disease used as an excuse to get out of doing something.
Dub: give someone a lift on the back of your bike, a common childhood experience.
Dump: unsalubrious or run-down ("What a dump!"). Also means landfill.
Dunny: toilet, (in general, but not polite usage). ("She bangs like a dunny door in the wind" = sexually enthusiastic female)
Earthquake Weather: Neither raining, snowing, sunshine, nor blowing a gale. Non-specific still, humid overcast weather, particularly when it goes on for many days. Thought to forebode an earthquake.
Earbashing: Unwelcome lecture, nagging, telling off or talking to.
Eh: added to the end of a NZ sentence, meaning "Wouldn't you agree", e.g. "That was great, eh?" (may have originated from the Maori "ne" or "nei", which is frequently added to the end of questioning phrases)
Evils: scowl (to give someone the evils = look darkly at them)
Fair crack of the whip: a fair chance, reasonable treatment.
Fancy: to show interest in.
Fanta: beer.
Fantail: small, friendly insect-eating native bird with fan-like tail feathers.
Fiord: deep-water sounds, inlets of the southern region of the south island.
First fifteen: the premier rugby team of any school, which play eachother in school competitions.
Flagon: half gallon container for beer.
Flash: very nice (e.g. "Flash car you've got there.")
Flat: any shared accommodation.
Flatting: living in shared accommodation (e.g. "Mike was flatting with Tony last year"), hence "Flatmate".
Fly: canvas sheet hung over a tent for extra protection against rain, or hung alone to make a lightweight camp in the bush.
Fly cemetery: raisin biscuit.
Football, footy: rugby (union).
Forks: the point where two rivers meet.
Freezing works: abbatoir, slaughterhouse, meat processing works.
French letter: condom.
Front: cold change of weather, rain and snow on the way.
Full-on: intense.
Full credit: congratulations, well done.
G'day: good day, hello.
Gentle Annie: name often given to a steep road or track (coachman term).
Get in behind: farmers cry to his dog to move sheep ("Geddinb'hind!")
Get off the grass: exclamation of disbelief- e.g. "stop pulling my leg" and "no way".
Get stuck in!: try hard, give your best effort.
Give it a whirl, give it a burl: have a go, give it a try.
Godzone: New Zealand (God's Own Country)
Going bush: to drop out of society or become reclusive.
Good as gold: everything's fine, no worries.
Good on ya: congratulations, well done!
Governor General: The Queen's official representative in New Zealand.
Guts for garters: in big trouble ("The boss will have your guts for garters.")
Guts it out: persevere in the face of adversity, despite the odds.
Gumboots: large rubber boots ranging from calf to knee height. These are usually black, although little children may wear colourful ones (a.k.a. Wellington boots in the U.K.) Together with shorts and a black singlet, gumboots constitute the quintesential kiwi-joker or farmer's outfit.
Had it: totally exhausted.
Haere mai: welcome (Maori)
Haere ra: farewell (Maori)
Haka: Maori war dance, expressing the mana of the tribe, often used in welcome ceremonies.
Half cut: rather drunk.
Half pai (half-pie): half properly, not completely right ("He only did a half-pai job.") (From Maori)
Hangi: Maori earth oven.
Hard case: witty, incorrigible person with an unusual sense of humour.
(Doing the) Hard yards: working hard, persevering (rugby term).
Heading dog: sheep mustering dog that keeps the mob together, preventing breakouts from the mob.
Heaps: general expression to mean a lot, as in "miss you heaps", or try hard, as in "give it heaps".
to give (someone) Heaps: to tease, relentlessly
Hobson's choice: either way, you lose.
Hokey pokey ice cream: pieces of crunchy toffee-like candy in vanilla ice cream (NZ favourite).
Home and hosed: safe, completed successfully.
Hongi: to press noses in Maori greeting.
Hoon: young layabout, ne'er do well, gang mamber or ruffian.
Hooning: going really fast ("He was hooning out of the corner, no wonder he crashed.")
Hooray: goodbye.
Hospital pass: something that backfires on the recipient, perhaps a dubious gift which quickly becomes a burden. (rugby term for a pass which puts the recipient into an impossible situation).
Hottie: hot water bottle.
Huey / Hughie: the god of weather, as imagined by trampers, etc. (possibly Aust origin).
Hui: meeting (Maori)
Huntaway dog: sheep mustering dog which barks loudly, driving the mob.
The Ice: Antarctica.
Ice block: popsicle, frozen lolly.
the Islands: refers to the Pacific Islands, Polynesia (hence "Islander").
Iwi: tribe (Maori)
Jandal: rubber sandals with toe strap, thongs, flip-flops
Jeeze, Wayne!: exclamation, said to someone regarded as acting or speaking foolishly, i.e. "Don't be so silly"
Jersey: sweater.
Joe Blakes: shakes (rhyming slang), shaking fit from fear, excitement, alcohol, etc.
Joker: man.
Judder bar: speed bump.
Junket: political perk taken by MP's, e.g. a free trip.
Just quietly: in confidence, "just between you and me,"
K Road: Karangahape Road in Auckland, well known for its nightlife.
Ka pai: good, OK (Maori)
Kai: food (Maori)
Kaimoana: seafood.
Kaka: native lowland parrot.
Kakapo: nocturnal parrot, highly endangered.
Kaumatua: respected Maori elder.
Kauri: massive tree of the Northland forests, one of the biggest trees in the world.
Kea: native mountain parrot.
Kehua: ghost, spirit. (Maori)
Kerosene taxi: helicopter. (slang)
Kia ora: Maori for hello (literally "may you be well"), general all-purpose greeting in NZ.
Kick (it) into touch: stop doing something, take the easier option (from rugby term)
Kiwi: New Zealander.
Kiwi: an endangered flightless bird native to New Zealand.
Kiwiana: typically New Zealand things (like this list!)
Kiwifruit: hairy fruit formerly known as Chinese gooseberry.
Kiwi Ingenuity: The legendary Kiwi ability to make or repair anything one might need using a piece of fencing wire, duct tape and a bit of 4 by 2 wood.
Knackered: exhausted.
Knickers: underpants, "Don't get your knickers in a twist" = "Don't get upset".
Kohanga reo: Maori pre-school.
Kuia: senior Maori woman, female kaumatua.
Kumera/kumara: sweet potato/yam.
Laughing gear: teeth. ("Wrap your laughing gear around that" = tuck in!)
Legend: hero, e.g. "You did it! You legend!"
Liquid laugh: vomit.
Lollies: candies, sweets.
Long-drop: pit toilet.
Loo: toilet.
Loopy: crazy.
Lux: vacuum cleaner (from Electrolux, a well-known brand).
Macrocarpa: large pine (cupressus macrocarpa) from California, commonly used as a shelter tree on farms.
Main: primary dish of a meal.
Mainland: the South Island (South Island term).
Mana: pride, reputation, standing, prestige, authority (Maori concept)
Maori: indigenous people of New Zealand.
Mate: buddy, (not always friendly, e.g. "Watch it, mate!")
Metal: gravel used on country roads (e.g. a metal road).
A Mission: a difficult undertaking.
Moko: the Maori art of facial tattooing.
Mokopuna: grandchild or great-niece or great-nephew (Maori)
Money for jam: easy money
Morepork: native owl (named for their haunting nocturnal cry), which fortell death in Maori superstition.
Mufti: civilian clothes, as worn by someone normally in uniform.
Ngati: prefix meaning tribe (Maori), e.g. Ngati Porou
Nippy: chilly, frosty, e.g. "Wee bit nippy this morning, eh?"
No-hoper: hopeless person, will never amount to much.
No worries: not a problem.
Nor'Wester: the hot, dry fohn wind that blows down on Canterbury, preceding a cold front.
Not the full quid: stupid.
Number 8 fencing wire: 4mm gauge smooth wire used in farm fences, and used by ingenious kiwis to make or repair anything they might require.
O.E.: Overseas Experience. The essential world tour done by many young Kiwis (e.g. "Mike's off on his OE this year, I think he's in Africa right now.")
Off yer face: completely drunk.
Ongaonga: native bush nettle with strong sting.
Pa: Maori fortified village.
Pack a sad: sulk, be upset or in a bad mood.
Pakeha: non-Maori person.
Panel beater: auto body shop.
Party pooper: being negative.
Pavlova (pav): meringue cake, New Zealand traditional dessert, which is claimed by both NZ and Australia, but in truth probably came from the UK originally.
Pea-pie-pud: Meat pie with mushy peas (and often potato too), traditional fare at a pie-cart. Australians call a similar thing a "pie-floater" and regard it as uniquely South Australian.
Piece-of-piss: easy.
Pig Island: ironic and mildly derogatory term for New Zealand, which refers to the wild pigs in the native bush. (Sometimes used by South Islanders to refer to the North Island.)
Pikau: a swag, a bag to carry on the back, knapsack, often an old sugar sack used for the purpose (Maori).
Pike out: to give up when the going gets tough.
Pikelet: small pancake often served with jam and whipped cream.
Piker: someone who gives up easily (see pike-out).
Pill: the rugby ball. ("Keep the pill in hand!")
Pipi: small native shellfish.
Piss: beer, ("going out on the piss" = going drinking; "pissed" = drunk, inebriated; "the pisser" = the pub; "piss-up" = social gathering with alcohol.)
Piss easy / piss-in-the-hand: easily done.
Pissed-off: angry.
Pit: sleeping bag, or sleeping quarters of rough type.
Plate: "Bring a plate" = "Bring a plate of food to share" (to a party)
Plunket: an NZ society dedicated to the health care of babies and new mothers.
Pokutukawa: glorious red-flowered coastal tree that flowers around Christmas time (a.k.a. the New Zealand Christmas Tree.)
Poi: light ball on a string swung around in traditional Maori dance and song.
Pom: English person - only mildly derogatory.
Ponga/punga: tree fern.
Porkies: lies (from Cockney rhyming slang).
Pottle: small container.
Pram: baby carriage, stroller.
Prang: crash, to crash into something, or a minor car accident.
Push bike: bicycle.
Quarter-acre, Half-gallon Pavlova paradise: New Zealand, as satirically described by Austin Mitchell, a British MP.
Quite nice: very good, exceptional (usual NZ understatement) - pronounced "quoite noice".
Rack off: go away (angry).
Randy: horny, feeling sexual impulses.
Rata: Beautiful red-flowering tree of the West Coast bush country.
Ratana: Maori church, religious and social/political movement.
Ratbag: scally-wag, somewhat annoying person.
Rattle your dags: hurry up, from the sound that sheep make when running, caused by the striking together of dried faeces stuck to the wool near the tail.
R.D: Rural Delivery, a mail addressing system for rural areas.
Reckon: think. e.g. as in "Yeah, I reckon, eh?" = I think so.
Rellies: relatives, extended family.
Right as rain: nothing wrong ("He was crook last week, but now he's right as rain.")
Ringatu: Maori spiritual movement.
Rogernomics: free enterprise economic policies, a la Reaganomics, introduced to New Zealand by Roger Douglas the Finance Minister of the 1984 Labour Government.
Rooted: to feel tired.
Ropeable: angry, livid (i.e. needing to be tied down, to prevent violence)
Rough as guts: uncultured, unpolished (referring to a person)
Round the bend: going crazy/busy.
Rousie/rouseabout: general hand in a shearing shed.
R.S.A: Returned Servicemens Association, an organisation founded by and for returned soldiers after WW1.
Rubber: eraser.
Rubbish: trash/garbage.
Ruck: rugby term for a breakdown in play where the ball needs to be freed from under a pile of tackled players, used as a verb also to convey the process of so doing.
Rug rat: small child.
Scarfie: university student. (From the university scarves they wear.)
Scotsman's stand: place from which the match can be seen, avoiding paying the admission price.
Scrub: (noun) scattered bushes, e.g. gorse.
Scull: drink beer rapidly.
Section: subdivision of land; the "quarter-acre section" remains the standard for suburban residential properties; a "block" usually refers to the land between four city streets, or a farm-size piece of land.
Shandy: drink made with lemonade and beer.
Sharemilker: part-owner of a herd of cows, or someone who works another's farm for profit.
Sheepstealers: Australians.
Sheila: woman.
She'll be right: things will be fine.
Shitloads: heaps, lots and lots.
Shout: to buy a round of drinks (e.g. "My shout, guys.")
Sickie: feigned illness e.g. "throw a sickie" to have time off work.
Silver fern: native plant that is a national symbol.
Silver Ferns: name given to the national netball team.
Singlet: vest.
Sinker: heavy steamed pudding.
Skiting: bragging.
Smoko: break, rest period.
Snarky: mixture of sarcastic and nasty.
Snow-raking: rescuing sheep stranded by heavy snow.
Sook: a moody person. "Don't worry about him, he's just a big sook."
Southerly Buster: a short, sharp, cold storm from the south.
Spaniard: sharp, spiny subalpine plant, speargrass.
Spare-me-days!: exclamation of surprise and disbelief.
Sparky: electrician.
Spew: to throw up, vomit.
Spewing: very upset ("He was spewing when he found out he'd lost.")
Spin it wide: pass it to me (rugby term) e.g. "Spin me the remote." = "Pass me the remote control unit."
Spitting tacks: extremely upset, and verbally expressing it!
Spotcha (later): see you later.
Spot on: exactly right.
Sprigs: studs on the soles of rugby boots; "a sprigging" = a raking with sprigs across the back, usually when caught at the bottom of a ruck; "sprig marks" = the result of a sprigging.
Sprog: a child, to give birth.
Sticking plaster: band-aid.
Stirrer: trouble-maker.
Strewth: honestly, from "God's truth", used as an exclamation.
Strides: trousers ("get yer best strides on son, we're going out tonight.")
Stroppy: bad tempered.
Stubby: small bottle of beer.
Suss: to figure out, (e.g. "I think I've got things sussed now.")
Swanndri: the classic Kiwi bush shirt, thick wool, warm and reasonably water-resistant.
Sydney for beginners: Auckland.
Take the piss: to ridicule.
Tangata Whenua: Maori term for "the people of the land".
Tangi: Maori funeral ceremony.
Taniwha: legendary monster, usually dwelling in deep water pools.
Taonga: treasure (Maori)
Tapu: sacred (Maori)
Taranaki Gate: makeshift gate made from a section of removeable fence (held shut by loops of number 8 fencing wire of course).
Tararua biscuit: hard, nutritious biscuit to take tramping with you, designed so it won't crumble in your pack
Tasty cheese: sharp cheddar cheese.
Tea tree (Ti tree): manuka or kanuka tree, scrubby native tree with stringy bark, good firewood, and used by early settlers to make a kind of tea from.
Technicolour yawn: vomit.
Tena koe: formal Maori greeting to one person; "tena korua" to two, "tena koutou" to many.
Te Wai Pounamu: the South Island (Maori term, meaning "the greenstone waters")
Tiki (heitiki): Maori carved ornament or charm, usually work around the neck.
Tiki Tour: roundabout way to get somewhere; scenic tour.
Toe toe: tall bushy grass species with tall plumed flower heads and sharp edged blades (a.k.a. "cutty grass")
Togs: swimsuit, or any clothes in general e.g. "you've got your flash togs on today!"
Tohunga: Maori priest, learned person or healer.
Too right!: exactly!
Torch: flashlight.
Tramping: hiking.
Tupuna: grandparent, ancestor (Maori)
Turps: turpentine, or alcoholic drink (informal), (e.g. "He's hit the turps again.")
Unit: small apartment, usually of low rental.
Unwaged: unemployed.
Underarm trick: unsporting or unfair tactic, particularly when done by Australians.
Unreal: tremendous ("wow, that's unreal")
Untold: vast amounts, limitless.
Ute: utility vehicle, pick-up truck.
Utu: vengeance, payback (Maori)
Varsity: university.
Waikikamukau: mythical country town (pron "Why kick a moo cow")
Wag: to skip school, play truant.
Waiata: song (Maori)
Waipiro: alcohol (Maori)
Wairua: spirit (Maori)
Waka: large Maori canoe, of ocean-going size.
Wally: incompetent person, loser (often in a friendly way, e.g. "You dropped the ball, you wally!")
Wee: small, little.
(the) West Island: Australia.
Whakapapa: genealogy, ancestry (Maori).
Whare: Maori house, often large and communal.
Whare-tutae: ironical trampers nickname for the outdoor toilet of a bush hut (literally "dung house" in Maori)
Wharfie: dock worker, longshoreman.
Whattarya?: (What are you?) Traditional cry of the Kiwi male, meaning "What's wrong with you?", "Have you gone crazy?" (see Jeez, Wayne) or "Have you got what it takes?", "Are you a man or a mouse?", etc.
Whinge: complain, hence "whinger" = someone who complains a lot.
Wicked: cool (eighties teenage expression).
Wobbly (throw a wobbly): become angry, have a fit.
WOF (pron. "Woff"): Warrant of Fitness, car inspection, like an "M.O.T." in the U.K.
Wonky: crooked.
Wop-wops: out of the way location.
A bit of a Worry: a troubling event or person.
Wowser: prude, killjoy.
Yarn: chat or talk, a story.
Yonks: forever, a long time ago ("Haven't seen you in yonks!")
Your shout: your turn to buy a round of drinks, mate.
A into G: to get going (Get your A into G = Get your arse into gear!)
A and P Show: Agricultural and Pastoral Show (annual country fair, held in many small towns)
After-match: social occasion after a rugby match.
Anklebiter: toddler, kids.
Antipodes: the point on the earth's surface opposite another point. NZ is regarded as the antipodes of Britain (although NZ is actually more exactly opposite Spain.)
Anzac: Australia and New Zealand Army Corps, who won the war (with a little help from the other allies).
Anzac biscuit: biscuit made of oats, firm in consistency.
Anzac Day: April 25. NZ and Aust remembrance day, when dawn Anzac parades are held.
Aoraki: Maori name for Mount Cook, New Zealand's highest mountain at 3754 metres.
Aotearoa: Maori name for New Zealand (translated as "Land of the long white cloud")
Aroha: love (Maori)
Arse: bottom (crude).
Arse over kite / Arse over turkey: fallen over, head over heels.
Arvo: afternoon (Aust. origin)
Atua: God (Maori)
Australasia: the word used when referring to both NZ and Australia.
Autumn Muster: In April the sheep are herded down from the mountains, before the winter snows. A major event of the farmimg year.
Away laughing: No more worries (see "Home and hosed").
Bach: small holiday home usually at the beach, and traditionally made by the owner from materials at hand, bits of 4 by 2, tin, fibrolite, etc, painted unusual colours and decorated in an individual way. New Zealand classic, but now a dying breed thanks to new building codes. (The word derives from "bachelor pad") (See also "Crib"). See guide entry http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A509087.
Backblocks: remote hinterland.
Bail: to get out, fast.
Bang goes: the end of something ("We lost, so bang goes our chance of reaching the finals.")
Barbie: barbeque, BBQ.
Beauty!: exclamation of approval or delight ("You beauty!")
Beech tree: Southern beech, Nothofagus species, main tree of NZ mountainous regions.
Beehive: NZ Parliament Buildings in Wellington, named after the shape of the building, no reference to any workers or queens in there!
Beeswax: ("None of your beeswax" = mind your own business, don't get smart)
Bellbird: NZ native bird with particularly melodic song.
Big bickies: lots of money.
the Big One: the big earthquake that most of New Zealand lives under threat of.
Billy: tin or aluminium pot, often hung over a fire to boil.
Biscuit: cookie.
Bivouac or Bivvy: temporary rough camp made by a hiker or alpinist.
Black Caps: name given to the national cricket team.
Bloke: man.
Bloody-hell: all-purpose expletive.
Blow up: referee blows the whistle in rugby game to stop play.
Bludge: to live off the generosity of others, to sponge.
Bluff: cliff, a common feature of the mountainous NZ landscape
The Bluff: the southernmost town in New Zealand ("from Cape Reinga to the Bluff" = throughout the land)
Bog: toilet (crude, but in common usage)
Bog-standard: normal, average, usual, nothing special.
Bonk: to have sex with.
(up the) Boohai: remote (from Puhoi, a remote North Island town).
Bomb: (referring to car) very old car in disrepair.
Bombay Hills: the Southernmost limit of Auckland, a pschological divide between Auckland and the rest of New Zealand.
Boohai: remote place ("up the Boohai" - probably an alteration of Puhoi, a town north of Auckland which was difficult of access last century.)
Bottle Store: wholesale liquor store
Box: device for protecting male genitalia while playing cricket.
Box of birds: cheerful, happy, having no worries.
One out of the Box: outstandingly fine, one of the best.
Box seat: favoured position ("After bowling Australia out for 125, New Zealand are in the box seat in the first test in Wellington")
Brekkie: breakfast.
Bro: brother, used by Maori people of other Maoris, especially about extended family members.
Brown-nose: ingratiating person, arse-licker
(as fit as a) Buck rat: very fit.
Bugger: man, chap, bloke - only slightly derogatory ("He was a funny-looking bugger.")
Bugger!: general expression of dismay.
Bugger all: not much, very little.
Buggered: very tired.
B******t artist: out and out liar.
Bum-bag: small pouch worn around the waist.
Bum steer: misleading directions.
Bun-fight: social gathering with food.
(give it a) Burl: give it a try.
Bush: native forest.
Bush lawyer: a thorny bramble that grows in thickets in lowland bush.
Bushcraft: skills of survivial in the bush.
Bushed: lost in the bush, caught out, benighted.
Bushline: upper altitude limit of forest growth.
Bust a gut: make an intense effort.
Butcher's: a look (rhyming slang - butcher's hook)
Buzzy bee: a traditional Kiwi children's toy, made of wood. Anklebiters drag it behind them, and it makes a clicky sound.
BYO: Bring Your Own (liquor), particularly to a restaurant.
Cabbage tree: Cordyline australis, palm-like tree with strong trunk and clusters of frond-like leaves (actually belongs to the lily family and is the largest of that family)
Cactus: trouble ("he'll get in the cactus for that.")
Cairn: track marker made from a pile of stones (from Scots).
Calling God on the great white telephone: vomiting (into the toilet).
Can it: throw it away, forget it.
Captain Cooker: wild pig, allegedly descended from pigs released on Cook's 1769 journey to NZ
Carked it: died, kicked the bucket.
Catchment: watershed, the collecting-area for a river's water.
Cattle-stop: steel bars over a pit in a roadway, where the road goes through a fenceline, which cattle cannot cross, but vehicles may drive easily over.
Chat-up: flirt, try pick-up lines on someone.
Cheers: good-bye; thank-you.
Chilly bin: container for keeping food and drinks cool in summer.
Choc-a-block: very full.
Choice: very good.
Chook: chicken.
Chrissy: Christmas.
Chuffed: pleased, proud (e.g. "When Fred's son won the prize he was chuffed.")
Chunder: to vomit.
Clag: mist, cloud, particularly in the mountains - "Clagged in".
Claytons: erzatz - the drink (or whatever) you're having when you're not having a drink (or whatever). From a brand of dreadful Australian alcohol-free "spirit"-like beverage.
the Coast: usually refers the the West Coast of the South Island.
Coaster: someone who lives on the West Coast, a unique breed.
Cobber: mate, close friend (older generation term)
Collywobbles: upset stomach.
Cor blimey: exclamation of disbelief, derived from "God blind me".
Cordial: fruit-flavoured soft drink.
Corker: very good.
Coromandel Green: marijuana, so called because much is purportedly grown there.
Couch: sofa.
Cow cockie: dairy farmer.
Cracker: plain dry biscuit, eaten with cheese (usually).
Cracker: very good!
Crash hot: excellent!
Crib: small holiday home, South Island term (see bach).
Crook: sick, unwell. (To put someone crook - to give bad advice.)
Dag: an amusing person or situation, also the perianal section of a sheep's fleece (e.g. "What a dag!" = "How funny").
Dairy: convenience store.
Dallie: Dalmatian, NZ immigrants from Dalmatia, a part of Croatia on the Adriatic coast, who arrived in NZ in the 1890's to work as Kauri Gum diggers, before eventually founding the NZ wine industry in West Auckland.
Damn sight: a lot. ("It's not perfect, but it's a damn sight better than it was.")
Dinkum: fair, honest, true (from British dialect)
the Ditch: the Tasman Sea.
the Divide: the main divide of the Southern Alps.
Dob in: betray to authorities
Dodgy: suspicious; a person with questionable motives.
in the Dog box: in disgrace, unpopular, out of favour (particularly with the wife!)
Dole: unemployment benefit; hence "dole-bludger".
Drag the chain: be slow, or the slowest in the group (from shearing gang expression.)
Dreaded lurgy: viral illness, or perhaps an imaginary disease used as an excuse to get out of doing something.
Dub: give someone a lift on the back of your bike, a common childhood experience.
Dump: unsalubrious or run-down ("What a dump!"). Also means landfill.
Dunny: toilet, (in general, but not polite usage). ("She bangs like a dunny door in the wind" = sexually enthusiastic female)
Earthquake Weather: Neither raining, snowing, sunshine, nor blowing a gale. Non-specific still, humid overcast weather, particularly when it goes on for many days. Thought to forebode an earthquake.
Earbashing: Unwelcome lecture, nagging, telling off or talking to.
Eh: added to the end of a NZ sentence, meaning "Wouldn't you agree", e.g. "That was great, eh?" (may have originated from the Maori "ne" or "nei", which is frequently added to the end of questioning phrases)
Evils: scowl (to give someone the evils = look darkly at them)
Fair crack of the whip: a fair chance, reasonable treatment.
Fancy: to show interest in.
Fanta: beer.
Fantail: small, friendly insect-eating native bird with fan-like tail feathers.
Fiord: deep-water sounds, inlets of the southern region of the south island.
First fifteen: the premier rugby team of any school, which play eachother in school competitions.
Flagon: half gallon container for beer.
Flash: very nice (e.g. "Flash car you've got there.")
Flat: any shared accommodation.
Flatting: living in shared accommodation (e.g. "Mike was flatting with Tony last year"), hence "Flatmate".
Fly: canvas sheet hung over a tent for extra protection against rain, or hung alone to make a lightweight camp in the bush.
Fly cemetery: raisin biscuit.
Football, footy: rugby (union).
Forks: the point where two rivers meet.
Freezing works: abbatoir, slaughterhouse, meat processing works.
French letter: condom.
Front: cold change of weather, rain and snow on the way.
Full-on: intense.
Full credit: congratulations, well done.
G'day: good day, hello.
Gentle Annie: name often given to a steep road or track (coachman term).
Get in behind: farmers cry to his dog to move sheep ("Geddinb'hind!")
Get off the grass: exclamation of disbelief- e.g. "stop pulling my leg" and "no way".
Get stuck in!: try hard, give your best effort.
Give it a whirl, give it a burl: have a go, give it a try.
Godzone: New Zealand (God's Own Country)
Going bush: to drop out of society or become reclusive.
Good as gold: everything's fine, no worries.
Good on ya: congratulations, well done!
Governor General: The Queen's official representative in New Zealand.
Guts for garters: in big trouble ("The boss will have your guts for garters.")
Guts it out: persevere in the face of adversity, despite the odds.
Gumboots: large rubber boots ranging from calf to knee height. These are usually black, although little children may wear colourful ones (a.k.a. Wellington boots in the U.K.) Together with shorts and a black singlet, gumboots constitute the quintesential kiwi-joker or farmer's outfit.
Had it: totally exhausted.
Haere mai: welcome (Maori)
Haere ra: farewell (Maori)
Haka: Maori war dance, expressing the mana of the tribe, often used in welcome ceremonies.
Half cut: rather drunk.
Half pai (half-pie): half properly, not completely right ("He only did a half-pai job.") (From Maori)
Hangi: Maori earth oven.
Hard case: witty, incorrigible person with an unusual sense of humour.
(Doing the) Hard yards: working hard, persevering (rugby term).
Heading dog: sheep mustering dog that keeps the mob together, preventing breakouts from the mob.
Heaps: general expression to mean a lot, as in "miss you heaps", or try hard, as in "give it heaps".
to give (someone) Heaps: to tease, relentlessly
Hobson's choice: either way, you lose.
Hokey pokey ice cream: pieces of crunchy toffee-like candy in vanilla ice cream (NZ favourite).
Home and hosed: safe, completed successfully.
Hongi: to press noses in Maori greeting.
Hoon: young layabout, ne'er do well, gang mamber or ruffian.
Hooning: going really fast ("He was hooning out of the corner, no wonder he crashed.")
Hooray: goodbye.
Hospital pass: something that backfires on the recipient, perhaps a dubious gift which quickly becomes a burden. (rugby term for a pass which puts the recipient into an impossible situation).
Hottie: hot water bottle.
Huey / Hughie: the god of weather, as imagined by trampers, etc. (possibly Aust origin).
Hui: meeting (Maori)
Huntaway dog: sheep mustering dog which barks loudly, driving the mob.
The Ice: Antarctica.
Ice block: popsicle, frozen lolly.
the Islands: refers to the Pacific Islands, Polynesia (hence "Islander").
Iwi: tribe (Maori)
Jandal: rubber sandals with toe strap, thongs, flip-flops
Jeeze, Wayne!: exclamation, said to someone regarded as acting or speaking foolishly, i.e. "Don't be so silly"
Jersey: sweater.
Joe Blakes: shakes (rhyming slang), shaking fit from fear, excitement, alcohol, etc.
Joker: man.
Judder bar: speed bump.
Junket: political perk taken by MP's, e.g. a free trip.
Just quietly: in confidence, "just between you and me,"
K Road: Karangahape Road in Auckland, well known for its nightlife.
Ka pai: good, OK (Maori)
Kai: food (Maori)
Kaimoana: seafood.
Kaka: native lowland parrot.
Kakapo: nocturnal parrot, highly endangered.
Kaumatua: respected Maori elder.
Kauri: massive tree of the Northland forests, one of the biggest trees in the world.
Kea: native mountain parrot.
Kehua: ghost, spirit. (Maori)
Kerosene taxi: helicopter. (slang)
Kia ora: Maori for hello (literally "may you be well"), general all-purpose greeting in NZ.
Kick (it) into touch: stop doing something, take the easier option (from rugby term)
Kiwi: New Zealander.
Kiwi: an endangered flightless bird native to New Zealand.
Kiwiana: typically New Zealand things (like this list!)
Kiwifruit: hairy fruit formerly known as Chinese gooseberry.
Kiwi Ingenuity: The legendary Kiwi ability to make or repair anything one might need using a piece of fencing wire, duct tape and a bit of 4 by 2 wood.
Knackered: exhausted.
Knickers: underpants, "Don't get your knickers in a twist" = "Don't get upset".
Kohanga reo: Maori pre-school.
Kuia: senior Maori woman, female kaumatua.
Kumera/kumara: sweet potato/yam.
Laughing gear: teeth. ("Wrap your laughing gear around that" = tuck in!)
Legend: hero, e.g. "You did it! You legend!"
Liquid laugh: vomit.
Lollies: candies, sweets.
Long-drop: pit toilet.
Loo: toilet.
Loopy: crazy.
Lux: vacuum cleaner (from Electrolux, a well-known brand).
Macrocarpa: large pine (cupressus macrocarpa) from California, commonly used as a shelter tree on farms.
Main: primary dish of a meal.
Mainland: the South Island (South Island term).
Mana: pride, reputation, standing, prestige, authority (Maori concept)
Maori: indigenous people of New Zealand.
Mate: buddy, (not always friendly, e.g. "Watch it, mate!")
Metal: gravel used on country roads (e.g. a metal road).
A Mission: a difficult undertaking.
Moko: the Maori art of facial tattooing.
Mokopuna: grandchild or great-niece or great-nephew (Maori)
Money for jam: easy money
Morepork: native owl (named for their haunting nocturnal cry), which fortell death in Maori superstition.
Mufti: civilian clothes, as worn by someone normally in uniform.
Ngati: prefix meaning tribe (Maori), e.g. Ngati Porou
Nippy: chilly, frosty, e.g. "Wee bit nippy this morning, eh?"
No-hoper: hopeless person, will never amount to much.
No worries: not a problem.
Nor'Wester: the hot, dry fohn wind that blows down on Canterbury, preceding a cold front.
Not the full quid: stupid.
Number 8 fencing wire: 4mm gauge smooth wire used in farm fences, and used by ingenious kiwis to make or repair anything they might require.
O.E.: Overseas Experience. The essential world tour done by many young Kiwis (e.g. "Mike's off on his OE this year, I think he's in Africa right now.")
Off yer face: completely drunk.
Ongaonga: native bush nettle with strong sting.
Pa: Maori fortified village.
Pack a sad: sulk, be upset or in a bad mood.
Pakeha: non-Maori person.
Panel beater: auto body shop.
Party pooper: being negative.
Pavlova (pav): meringue cake, New Zealand traditional dessert, which is claimed by both NZ and Australia, but in truth probably came from the UK originally.
Pea-pie-pud: Meat pie with mushy peas (and often potato too), traditional fare at a pie-cart. Australians call a similar thing a "pie-floater" and regard it as uniquely South Australian.
Piece-of-piss: easy.
Pig Island: ironic and mildly derogatory term for New Zealand, which refers to the wild pigs in the native bush. (Sometimes used by South Islanders to refer to the North Island.)
Pikau: a swag, a bag to carry on the back, knapsack, often an old sugar sack used for the purpose (Maori).
Pike out: to give up when the going gets tough.
Pikelet: small pancake often served with jam and whipped cream.
Piker: someone who gives up easily (see pike-out).
Pill: the rugby ball. ("Keep the pill in hand!")
Pipi: small native shellfish.
Piss: beer, ("going out on the piss" = going drinking; "pissed" = drunk, inebriated; "the pisser" = the pub; "piss-up" = social gathering with alcohol.)
Piss easy / piss-in-the-hand: easily done.
Pissed-off: angry.
Pit: sleeping bag, or sleeping quarters of rough type.
Plate: "Bring a plate" = "Bring a plate of food to share" (to a party)
Plunket: an NZ society dedicated to the health care of babies and new mothers.
Pokutukawa: glorious red-flowered coastal tree that flowers around Christmas time (a.k.a. the New Zealand Christmas Tree.)
Poi: light ball on a string swung around in traditional Maori dance and song.
Pom: English person - only mildly derogatory.
Ponga/punga: tree fern.
Porkies: lies (from Cockney rhyming slang).
Pottle: small container.
Pram: baby carriage, stroller.
Prang: crash, to crash into something, or a minor car accident.
Push bike: bicycle.
Quarter-acre, Half-gallon Pavlova paradise: New Zealand, as satirically described by Austin Mitchell, a British MP.
Quite nice: very good, exceptional (usual NZ understatement) - pronounced "quoite noice".
Rack off: go away (angry).
Randy: horny, feeling sexual impulses.
Rata: Beautiful red-flowering tree of the West Coast bush country.
Ratana: Maori church, religious and social/political movement.
Ratbag: scally-wag, somewhat annoying person.
Rattle your dags: hurry up, from the sound that sheep make when running, caused by the striking together of dried faeces stuck to the wool near the tail.
R.D: Rural Delivery, a mail addressing system for rural areas.
Reckon: think. e.g. as in "Yeah, I reckon, eh?" = I think so.
Rellies: relatives, extended family.
Right as rain: nothing wrong ("He was crook last week, but now he's right as rain.")
Ringatu: Maori spiritual movement.
Rogernomics: free enterprise economic policies, a la Reaganomics, introduced to New Zealand by Roger Douglas the Finance Minister of the 1984 Labour Government.
Rooted: to feel tired.
Ropeable: angry, livid (i.e. needing to be tied down, to prevent violence)
Rough as guts: uncultured, unpolished (referring to a person)
Round the bend: going crazy/busy.
Rousie/rouseabout: general hand in a shearing shed.
R.S.A: Returned Servicemens Association, an organisation founded by and for returned soldiers after WW1.
Rubber: eraser.
Rubbish: trash/garbage.
Ruck: rugby term for a breakdown in play where the ball needs to be freed from under a pile of tackled players, used as a verb also to convey the process of so doing.
Rug rat: small child.
Scarfie: university student. (From the university scarves they wear.)
Scotsman's stand: place from which the match can be seen, avoiding paying the admission price.
Scrub: (noun) scattered bushes, e.g. gorse.
Scull: drink beer rapidly.
Section: subdivision of land; the "quarter-acre section" remains the standard for suburban residential properties; a "block" usually refers to the land between four city streets, or a farm-size piece of land.
Shandy: drink made with lemonade and beer.
Sharemilker: part-owner of a herd of cows, or someone who works another's farm for profit.
Sheepstealers: Australians.
Sheila: woman.
She'll be right: things will be fine.
Shitloads: heaps, lots and lots.
Shout: to buy a round of drinks (e.g. "My shout, guys.")
Sickie: feigned illness e.g. "throw a sickie" to have time off work.
Silver fern: native plant that is a national symbol.
Silver Ferns: name given to the national netball team.
Singlet: vest.
Sinker: heavy steamed pudding.
Skiting: bragging.
Smoko: break, rest period.
Snarky: mixture of sarcastic and nasty.
Snow-raking: rescuing sheep stranded by heavy snow.
Sook: a moody person. "Don't worry about him, he's just a big sook."
Southerly Buster: a short, sharp, cold storm from the south.
Spaniard: sharp, spiny subalpine plant, speargrass.
Spare-me-days!: exclamation of surprise and disbelief.
Sparky: electrician.
Spew: to throw up, vomit.
Spewing: very upset ("He was spewing when he found out he'd lost.")
Spin it wide: pass it to me (rugby term) e.g. "Spin me the remote." = "Pass me the remote control unit."
Spitting tacks: extremely upset, and verbally expressing it!
Spotcha (later): see you later.
Spot on: exactly right.
Sprigs: studs on the soles of rugby boots; "a sprigging" = a raking with sprigs across the back, usually when caught at the bottom of a ruck; "sprig marks" = the result of a sprigging.
Sprog: a child, to give birth.
Sticking plaster: band-aid.
Stirrer: trouble-maker.
Strewth: honestly, from "God's truth", used as an exclamation.
Strides: trousers ("get yer best strides on son, we're going out tonight.")
Stroppy: bad tempered.
Stubby: small bottle of beer.
Suss: to figure out, (e.g. "I think I've got things sussed now.")
Swanndri: the classic Kiwi bush shirt, thick wool, warm and reasonably water-resistant.
Sydney for beginners: Auckland.
Take the piss: to ridicule.
Tangata Whenua: Maori term for "the people of the land".
Tangi: Maori funeral ceremony.
Taniwha: legendary monster, usually dwelling in deep water pools.
Taonga: treasure (Maori)
Tapu: sacred (Maori)
Taranaki Gate: makeshift gate made from a section of removeable fence (held shut by loops of number 8 fencing wire of course).
Tararua biscuit: hard, nutritious biscuit to take tramping with you, designed so it won't crumble in your pack
Tasty cheese: sharp cheddar cheese.
Tea tree (Ti tree): manuka or kanuka tree, scrubby native tree with stringy bark, good firewood, and used by early settlers to make a kind of tea from.
Technicolour yawn: vomit.
Tena koe: formal Maori greeting to one person; "tena korua" to two, "tena koutou" to many.
Te Wai Pounamu: the South Island (Maori term, meaning "the greenstone waters")
Tiki (heitiki): Maori carved ornament or charm, usually work around the neck.
Tiki Tour: roundabout way to get somewhere; scenic tour.
Toe toe: tall bushy grass species with tall plumed flower heads and sharp edged blades (a.k.a. "cutty grass")
Togs: swimsuit, or any clothes in general e.g. "you've got your flash togs on today!"
Tohunga: Maori priest, learned person or healer.
Too right!: exactly!
Torch: flashlight.
Tramping: hiking.
Tupuna: grandparent, ancestor (Maori)
Turps: turpentine, or alcoholic drink (informal), (e.g. "He's hit the turps again.")
Unit: small apartment, usually of low rental.
Unwaged: unemployed.
Underarm trick: unsporting or unfair tactic, particularly when done by Australians.
Unreal: tremendous ("wow, that's unreal")
Untold: vast amounts, limitless.
Ute: utility vehicle, pick-up truck.
Utu: vengeance, payback (Maori)
Varsity: university.
Waikikamukau: mythical country town (pron "Why kick a moo cow")
Wag: to skip school, play truant.
Waiata: song (Maori)
Waipiro: alcohol (Maori)
Wairua: spirit (Maori)
Waka: large Maori canoe, of ocean-going size.
Wally: incompetent person, loser (often in a friendly way, e.g. "You dropped the ball, you wally!")
Wee: small, little.
(the) West Island: Australia.
Whakapapa: genealogy, ancestry (Maori).
Whare: Maori house, often large and communal.
Whare-tutae: ironical trampers nickname for the outdoor toilet of a bush hut (literally "dung house" in Maori)
Wharfie: dock worker, longshoreman.
Whattarya?: (What are you?) Traditional cry of the Kiwi male, meaning "What's wrong with you?", "Have you gone crazy?" (see Jeez, Wayne) or "Have you got what it takes?", "Are you a man or a mouse?", etc.
Whinge: complain, hence "whinger" = someone who complains a lot.
Wicked: cool (eighties teenage expression).
Wobbly (throw a wobbly): become angry, have a fit.
WOF (pron. "Woff"): Warrant of Fitness, car inspection, like an "M.O.T." in the U.K.
Wonky: crooked.
Wop-wops: out of the way location.
A bit of a Worry: a troubling event or person.
Wowser: prude, killjoy.
Yarn: chat or talk, a story.
Yonks: forever, a long time ago ("Haven't seen you in yonks!")
Your shout: your turn to buy a round of drinks, mate.
