(NZ) The herbaceous plant , endemic to New Zealand.
(NZ) The herbaceous plant , endemic to New Zealand.
"parataniwha" means the herbaceous plant , endemic to new zealand. It is one of many casual words teens pick up from friends, social media, music or sport, and on its own it carries no particular warning. If you hear your teen use it, it is fair to ask what they mean by it in their friend group, since meanings drift quickly. Asking out of curiosity rather than alarm tends to keep the conversation open and useful.
"parataniwha" is informal English meaning the herbaceous plant , endemic to new zealand. It is mainly heard in Australian or New Zealand English. A more formal or neutral equivalent would be something like "the herbaceous plant " expressed in standard vocabulary. A common mistake is to assume "parataniwha" can replace its standard equivalent in every register; keep it for spoken or casual situations and use the formal form in writing. If you are a B2 or C1 learner, it is useful to recognise this word when you hear or read it, but think carefully about whether the situation really calls for it before using it yourself.
"parataniwha" means the herbaceous plant , endemic to new zealand. It is one of many casual words teens pick up from friends, social media, music or sport, and on its own it carries no particular warning. If you hear your teen use it, it is fair to ask what they mean by it in their friend group, since meanings drift quickly. Asking out of curiosity rather than alarm tends to keep the conversation open and useful.
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
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(NZ) , a climbing plant endemic to New Zealand.
(NZ) , a herbaceous perennial plant endemic to New Zealand.
(NZ) A bushy tree of species , endemic to the northern half of the North Island of New Zealand.
(NZ) Any of species , of coastal shrubs or small trees in the family, native to New Zealand.
“16. [↑](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elatostema_rugosum#cite_ref-iNaturalist_16-0)iNaturalist. ["Parataniwha ( _Elatostema rugosum_)"](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/328094-Elatostema-rugosum). _iNaturalist_.”
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A Maori name for a native New Zealand climbing plant (likely Parsonsia heterophylla, the NZ jasmine or akakura), the word deriving from 'kai' (to eat, or agent prefix) and 'whiri' (to braid/twist), describing the plant's twining habit. Used in traditional Maori practice and now recognised in New Zealand botanical literature.