whangai
(NZ, uncountable) A traditional Maori form of adoption practised within the extended family.
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(NZ, uncountable) A traditional Maori form of adoption practised within the extended family.
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(NZ, countable) A child adopted under this system.
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- whanau64%
A Māori word for extended family that has become part of everyday New Zealand English. Whanau goes beyond the nuclear family — it includes grandparents, aunties, uncles, cousins, and everyone connected by blood, marriage, or deep community ties. In New Zealand culture, your whanau is your support network, your identity, and your responsibility all rolled into one. The concept emphasises collective wellbeing over individual needs, which is central to Māori values.
- whanau64%
(New Zealand) An extended family.
- tangi60%
(NZ) Crying, wailing, especially when seeing someone after a long absence.
- wharangi59%
(NZ) Any of species , of coastal shrubs or small trees in the family, native to New Zealand.