Category Archives: N

Cook Islands Maori words beginning with ‘n’

nūmero

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nūmero,

1. n. (a) Number, figure.

E tuku i te nūmero ma‘ata ki runga ē te mea meangiti ki raro ka kiriti ei.
Put the big number on top and the little one underneath when you are going to subtract; ‘E a‘a te nūmero o tērā mōtokā? What is the number of that car? TĒ ‘akaputuputu nūmero nei mātou. We are adding the figures up; Tāmaka nūmero ta‘i nga‘uru tē kā tano kiā Rae. Size ten shoes will fit Rae; ‘E tangata nūmero ta‘i ‘aia i te tātā nūtipēpa. He’s a number one journalist, an ace reporter; (b) a sum, mathematics. E kimi mai i te tika i tēia nūmero. Work out the answer to this sum; ‘E nūmero te ‘āpi‘i mua i tēia popongi. Maths was the first lesson this morning.

2. (-a). To number something.

Kua tārevakē tōku nūmero-‘anga i tēia au pi‘a ‘ānani.
I made a mistake when I was putting the numbers on these boxes of oranges; Kua nūmeroa te pi‘a? Has the box been numbered? [Lat. numeros.]

nunui

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nunui, v.i. High-ranking, important (of people).

Kua putuputu mai te aronga nunui o te ‘enua ma tō rātou vaka tangata katoa i te ‘āriki i te aronga tei ‘oki mai mei te tamaki.
The important people of the country assembled, with their followers, to welcome those who returned from the war. [nui1 rR.]

nūti

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nūti, n. News.

Kua tae mai te nūti mei ‘Ātiu mai ē kua tāpuni ‘a Mātipi rāua ko Pā nā runga i te poti.
News came from ‘Ātiu that MŒatipi and PŒa had stowed away on a boat. Nūti takere, stale news. Tangata tātā nuti, journalist. Tangata ‘akakitekite nūti, news announcer. [Eng. news.]

nui1

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nui1, v.i.

1. Vast, large, high-ranking, important, plentiful, loud, abundant (mainly N.G.Pt. dial., Rar. tends to use

ma‘ata
in these senses).

Kua kāpiki nui atū ra ‘a Rū ki ā Tangaroa.
RŒu called out loudly to Tangaroa.

2. Esp. in the phrases (a) ‘apinga nui, (have) much wealth:

Kua ‘apinga nui ‘aia.
He is very well off;

‘E tangata ‘apinga nui ‘aia.
He is a rich man; (b) kakī nui, (have) great desire:

NŌ tōna kakī nui i te ‘anga‘anga, nō reira kua roko‘ia ‘aia e te maki ma‘ata.
He had such a lust for work that he made himself very ill.

3. Pregnant.

Kua nui tāku tīnana puaka.
My sow is pregnant;

Kua ‘ākara te taote i te au va‘ine nui.
The doctor examined the pregnant women. (See mānganui, nunui, pāpānunui, ririnui, rongonui, tukutukura‘onui, ‘akanui, ‘aka-vānui.) [Np. *nui.]

nuku1

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nuku1, n.

1. Organised group of people, troop (of soldiers), troupe.

‘E nuku ma‘ata tei ‘aere mai ki te tūroto i tēia ruāvai.
It was a big party that came to see this pond;

Kua ‘akate‘ate‘amamao te va‘e‘au i roto i te ‘ōire i te tae‘anga mai te tuatua ē tē ‘aere maī ra te nuku tamaki.
The warriors in the village made ready when the news came that a war party was coming.

2. A pageant, play based on a Bible story.

Kua putuputu te au ‘Āpi‘i Tāpati ki Takamoa nō te ‘akaāri‘anga i tā rātou nuku.
The Sunday Schools gathered at Takamoa to perform their pageants;

‘E mānea te kāka‘u nuku o tērā ‘Āpi‘i Tāpati.
The pageant costumes of that Sunday School are lovely.

[Np. *nuku2.]