New Zealand slang - a guide to common phrases
B
- bach
- small holiday home, pronounced "batch"
- back block
- remote piece of farming land
- banger
- sausage
- bit of a dag
- hard case; comedian; joker
- bloke
- usually a man
- blow me down
- an expression of surprise, as in "well! blow me down - I didn't know that"
- blow that for a joke
- "that's not funny"
- bob's your uncle
- roughly translates to "there you go - that's all there is to it!"
- box of birds
- feeling fine, fit and healthy
- brickie
- bricklayer
- bring a plate
- Used generally on an invitation (sometimes "ladies, bring a plate"), it means bring a plate of food appropriate to whatever kind of function you are invited to
- bumper
- fender
- bun-fight
- social gathering with food
- bush
- like a small forest
- buzzy bee
- a brightly coloured toy
- byo
- "bring your own" provide your own alcohol at a restaurant
C
- cackhanded
- left handed
- cardy
- woolen button up the front jersey
- charge an arm and a leg
- something that you buy is (surprisingly) expensive
- chips
- hot French fries
- cheers
- goodbye or thanks or good luck
- chemist
- pharmacy
- cheerio
- good bye/ cocktail sausage
- cheese rolls
- these are a southern phenomenon: cheese rolled in a slice of bread and toasted, sometimes with corn or onion added
- chilly bin
- insulated box for keeping food and drink cold
- chippy
- builder, carpenter
- chips
- There are two kinds of chips: potato crisps and French fries
- choice
- very good
- chook
- chicken
- chocker
- full
- chuffed
- pleased
- crisps
- potato chips
D
- dairy
- corner store, usually open 7 days per week and selling a wide range of items
- dodgy
- bad, unreliable
- dreaded lurgy
- alternative name for the flu or a head cold.
- duvet cover
- called a doona in Australia, this is a sheet-sized pillowcase which covers a "duvet" (quilt) to go on top of your bed. Can be used with or without a top sheet and is the most common bed covering in New Zealand
F
- flash
- looks really good / looks smart
- flat tack
- to go fast
- flicks
- movie, picture theatre
- flog
- steal, nick
- four by two
- a piece of timber used in building that is four inches by two inches thick
G
- gas guzzler
- large car
- gawk
- stare at
- get off the grass
- exclamation of disbelief; equivalent to "stop pulling my leg" or "you must be joking"
- going bush
- become reclusive
- good as gold
- a job well done: not a problem
- greasies
- fish and chips
- grog
- alcohol
- ground floor
- the floor at street level
- gumboots
- water proof outdoor boots, sometimes known as Wellingtons or wellies
- guts for garters
- in big trouble, as in "I'll have your guts for garters"
H
- home and hosed
- completed successfully
- home baking
- biscuits or other goodies baked at home
- hokey pokey
- type of ice cream or a lollie
J
- jandal
- thongs, flip flops
- judder bar
- speed bump
- jug
- kettle
K
- kiwi
- New Zealander
- kick the bucket
- die
L
- lay-by
- Where you can put goods aside in a shop, to pay them off slowly
- lollies
- sweets
- loo
- bathroom
- loose metal
- gravel road
- lux
- vacuum cleaner
M
- manchester
- linen, bed coverings, towels etc, are often found in the Manchester department of stores
N
- no worries, mate
- don't worry about it, it will be fine
- not to know if one is "Arthur or Martha"
- to be confused
P
- pakeha
- non Maori person
- pikelet
- small pancake
- piker
- someone who gives up easily
- pinky
- little finger
- plod
- friendly term for local policeman
- pot luck dinner
- a dinner party or social event where everyone brings a different dish to share that would be enough to feed the number they were taking plus a little more
- prang
- minor car accident
- push bike
- bicycle
R
- raining cats and dogs
- to be raining heavily
- rark up
- give someone a telling off
- rattle your dags
- hurry up
- rellies
- family, relatives
- ring
- phone someone
S
- sammie or sarnie
- sandwich
- scarfie
- university student
- sealed road
- paved road
- she'll be right
- it will be ok
- skiting
- showing off
- skivvy
- high-necked top (a turtleneck)
- sparkie
- an electrician
- spit the dummy
- to throw a tantrum or get angry
- sprog
- a child
- strapped for cash
- short of money
- stubby
- small bottle of beer
- stuffed
- really tired
- Sunday driver
- driving slowly
- sunnies
- sunglasses
- suss
- to figure out
- ta
- thanks
- take a hike
- an expression of anger, as in "go away" "get lost"
- tata
- goodbye
- tea
- general term for evening meal
- tights
- pantyhose
- tiki tour
- roundabout way to get somewhere; scenic tour
- togs
- swimsuit
- tramping
- hiking
- trots
- horse racing with buggy
- tuck shop
- school shop that sells snacks
- two sammies short of a picnic
- used to describe someone who is not very clever
- verge
- grass area on side of road; berm
- wally
- clown, loser
- whinge
- complain
- wonky
- crooked
- wop-wops
- out of the way location
- yonks
- a long time
- yarn
- spin a "tall story"
- yack
- general conversation
- yoo-hoo
- hello
- you ain't wrong
- that's right
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Last reviewed: 07 Jul 2008 3:46pm
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