Common New Zealand Slang*

By chance, I found the link to some NZ slangs provided by a university’s website (SIT). Think it is interesting to keep here for memory. And this is the start of the catagory, ‘New Zealand*’ and ‘Language*.’

:)

The following is a list of some New Zealand slang and their meanings. Warning – care should be taken with the use of these words, we will not be teaching them in the classroom though you may hear them when in New Zealand.

Awesome
= Fine, excellent

Bach
= A holiday home (also known as a crib in the South Island)

Barbie
= Barbecue (also written as BBQ) – food cooked outside over a charcoal or gas fire

Beaut, beauty
= Something good or outstanding. Often used ironically to mean the opposite

Bro
= Term of address for a male friend or relative

Bright as a button
= Looking fresh, alert

Bright spark
= Intelligent, alert, attentive, awake

Bring a plate
= Everyone brings food to share. Don’t bring an empty plate.

Bush
= New Zealand’s native forest

Bushed, had it
= Exhausted

BYO
= Bring Your Own. A BYO restaurant is a restaurant that allows customers to bring their own wine to drink with their meal.

Chocka
= Full

Choice
= Fine, excellent

Clean as a whistle
= Sparkling clean

Clown
= Term of abuse, idiot

Crook
= To be ill or unwell. Also means a thief

Cuz
= Term of address for friend or relative

Dag
= An amusing person, a character

Dork
= An idiot or a physically uncoordinated person

Dough
= Money

Drive around the bend
= Annoy so much you lose your temper

Drongo
= A term of abuse, idiot

Dude
= A cool or good looking male

Feed
= A meal

Flat tack
= At top speed

Foxy, fox
= Used to describe a cool or good looking person of either sex

Fully
= I agree

G’dday
= Greeting meaning hello

Got the blues
= Used to describe a sad state of mind

Greenie
= A conservationist

Gumboots
= Waterproof rubber boots (called Wellingtons in Britain)

Grog
= Alcohol

Grouse
= Fine, excellent, often used to express delight

Hard case
= A tough but likeable person, an eccentric person

Hard graft
= Hard work

Head over heels
= Usually describing somebody who is very very happy

Heart of gold
= Describing a person who is very kind

Hook up
= Meet up or join in

Hoon
= A noisy person, a lout

In a spin
= Usually when too many things happen all at one time or too many choices

Jandals
= Rubber sandals or thongs (called flip flops in Britain)

Joker
= A man

Kiwi
= New Zealand native bird symbol. New Zealander

Lolly
= The usual word for a confection or sweet

Mate
= A friend, also a term of address

Mission
= An adventure

Mongrel
= A term of abuse or contempt for a person

Munted
= To be broken or distorted

Narley
= Cool, good

Nerd
= A boring person

Nifty
= Good (applied to a thing)

No worries
= Common phrase of agreement

On to it
= Efficient or intelligent

On a high
= A good feeling that can come from success

Once in a blue moon
= Very rarely, seldom, almost never

Paddock
= A field, also a sports pitch

Paint the town red
= To go out and have a good time

Piker
= Someone who opts out of an activity

Pop on over/ pop in
= Come and visit me at my house

Potluck dinner
= Everyone brings prepared food to share with all the guests

Pressie
= A present (gift)

Pub
= A bar where alcoholic drinks are served over the counter

Rapt
= Very pleased

Rellie
= A relation or relative

Rough ride
= A difficult experience

She’ll be right
= Everything is going to be OK

Shocking
= Very bad

Shout
= To treat your friends to something such as a drink or a meal

Skite
= To boast. A boaster or showoff

Smoko
= Coffee or tea break

Snowed under
= Usually has too much work or responsibility

Spuds
= Potatoes

Sticks
= Remote or rural district, the countryside

Stinge/Stingy
= Not generous with your money

Stoked
= Very excited

Sweet as
= Great

Swot
= Study hard, especially before an exam

Ta
= Thanks

To take for a ride
= To deceive or trick someone

Togs
= Swimming costume

Tucker
= Food

Turn to custard
= Collapse of ideas, schemes, plans

Unc/Unco
= An uncoordinated person, often used as an insult or taunt

Under the weather
= Feeling off colour, unwell, tired

Uni
= University

Varsity
= University

Veggies
= Vegetables

Wicked
= Fine, excellent

Wop-wops
= Remote or rural district, the countryside

Source: SIT