Kiwi slang

[JNL]

A while back we were discussing local phrases etc. In the interests of facilitating international communications, I present to you a list of

COMMON NEW ZEALAND SLANG

The following is a list of some New Zealand slang and their meanings. Warning - care should be taken with the use of these words.

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 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.

Chocker = Full

Choice = Fine, excellent

Chunder = To vomit

Clown = Term of abuse, idiot

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

Cuz = Term of address for friend or relative

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

Feed = A meal

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

Fully = I agree

G'day = 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

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

Heart of gold = Describing a person who is very kind

Hook up = Meet up or join in

Hoon = A noisy person, a lout

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

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

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)

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

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

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

 

[Maister]

That list is nifty. Some of the terms are intuitive or in active usage in the States; others are obscure. I had heard the term 'chunder' before spoken by an Aussie. The same Aussie also referred to the act of vomiting as 'bark at the ground'. Is this slang term in Kiwi vocabulary too?

 

[Doitnow]

Interesting stuff really!
Knew some of them as some cricket commentator had mentioned them the last time India played NZ. Don't remember when though.

 

[JNL]

The same Aussie also referred to the act of vomiting as 'bark at the ground'. Is this slang term in Kiwi vocabulary too?

Never heard that one. Another one I have heard is 'bowing to the porcelain god'.

 

[michaelskis]

You should hear how they talk in the U.P. I grew up there, and I still do not understand many of the words.

 

[Dan]

You know, when the Aussies and Kiwis have hundreds of phrases for vomiting, it's like the extensive Eskimo vocabulary for "snow" it's something that's very, very important to them.

We've got "bowing to the porcelan god" in the States, too. How about "calling Ralph on the big white telephone?"


A lot of the Kiwi slang isn't too different than what you would encounter in American English. What don't I hear, and my comments ...

Bach

Barbie - usually said in a fake Australian accent. In the US, it's barbecue or simply 'cue.

Bush - the US equivalent would probably be "wilderness," whether it's desert or forest.

Chocker

Crook, as in "to be ill or unwell."

Cuz - very 1980s. "'Sup cuz? Got some chronic?"

Drive around the bend r

Foxy - very 1970s. The term "hottie" is in vogue here.

G'day - again, used in a fake Aussie accent.

Greenie - US equivalent is "Cruncher" or "Granola."

Hard case

Hoon

Jandals

Joker when referring to just a man.

Lolly

Mate - again, said with a fake Aussie accent.

Mongrel - usually a source of pride among whites with a diverse ethnic background. Don't say this to a biracial person, though.

Munted

Nifty - very 1950s, along with "keen" and "swell."

Paddock

Pressie - sounds very Aussie/Kiwi.

Rellie - ditto.

Shout, as in "to treat your friends to something such as a drink or a meal." In the US, you may hear "It's on me" or "My treat."

Spuds - well, there's Spuds McKenzie.

Sticks - common in the US, but you'll also hear "East Jesus," "East Jahungaland," "middle of nowhere" or "East Bumf**k".

Ta - a pretentious form of saying "goodbye."

Togs - ???

Tucker - used on the menu at Outback Steakhouse to sound Australian.

Turn to custard

Unc/Unco

Uni as in "University."

Varsity as in "University." Describes sporting competition between different colleges and high schools, but not intramural leagues.

Wicked - a trademark of the New England states. Even more superlative is "wicked pissah."

Wop-wops - derogatory term for Italian-Americans here.

 

[JNL]

So if I said, "Hey cuz! Let's hook up on Saturday and mission it out to Dan's bach in the wop-wops. Bring a plate and your togs. Sweet as!", that would make sense to you? :-D

 

[Zoning Goddess]

Greenie - US equivalent is "Cruncher" or "Granola."

Togs - ???

Female U.S. Cyburbians would probably know "togs". Here, it means an outfit of clothing, usually something cute and summery or trendy.

Greenie also = "bunny-hugger"

 

[JNL]

Here, togs are your swimsuit, as in "We're going to the beach so don't forget your togs and towel!". In Aussie, it's your 'cossie' I think. Weird

Dan - we say 'hottie' too. Don't think anyone my age says foxy.

And greenie is also tree-hugger.

 

[DA Monkey]

You know, when the Aussies and Kiwis have hundreds of phrases for vomiting, it's like the extensive Eskimo vocabulary for "snow" it's something that's very, very important to them.

You know, you could be right, Ive never noticed it until you mentioned it - we do have a lot of phrases for driving the porcelan bus, and it is important, a kind of societal ritual thing. Its not just restricted to the blokey element of Oz either, the girls can have a pizza party as well.

Doin "helicopters" almost has the status of a traditional party trick :-D

 

[JNL]

You know, you could be right

Speak for yourself, Aussie! I haven't spewed since I was 17. That's over 7 years

 

[ludes98]

Speak for yourself, Aussie! I haven't spewed since I was 17. That's over 7 years

Try harder. ;-)

 

[michaelskis]

Speak for yourself, Aussie! I haven't spewed since I was 17. That's over 7 years

You need to drink more.

 

[Maister]

You know, when the Aussies and Kiwis have hundreds of phrases for vomiting, it's like the extensive Eskimo vocabulary for "snow" it's something that's very, very important to them.
We've got "bowing to the porcelan god" in the States, too. How about "calling Ralph on the big white telephone?"
.

Now we wouldn't want JNL to think we Yanks are any slouches in the regurgitation terminology department. Yes, we've got 'bowing to the porcelain god' and 'Ralph', but lets not forget:
barf
hurl
puke
heave
spew
burp up
blow chunks
sell daddy's Buick
technicolor yawn
take a Big Spit
cascade
beef
get sick
toss your cookies
empty your innards
lose your lunch
taste dinner a second time
regurgitate
retch......
have I forgotten any others? :-# :-# :-# :-#

 

[Chet]

Maister - you forgot

Rowlf and 'doing my Tracy Gold impersonation'

 

[Gedunker]

Maister a variant of "blow chunks" is "blow chow".
Chet Tracy Gold! Oh, my, I'm going to rowlf!

There goes breakfast :-#

 

[boiker]

re: too much drinky and the results.

My friends would say, "Don't worry about Boik, He's just getting ready for round two."

 

[Seabishop]

'doing my Tracy Gold impersonation'

HA! Thanks that's in my vocabulary for good now.

 

[Maister]

I'm surprised Michaelskis hasn't already thrown out a handful of UPer euphemisms for describing the results of excessive alcohol consumption. You know dat's all dey do up dere....

boiker - 'getting ready for round two'! That's precious. How about 'cleaning the digestive slate'.
You know this can be fun,creating new slang terminology. This must be how new terms come into circulation.

 

[Richmond Jake]

have I forgotten any others? :-# :-# :-# :-#

I've always liked "barking out the names of the states."

 

[Elisabeth]

have I forgotten any others? :-# :-# :-# :-#

"boot"

We used this term a lot in college if someone got sick. And if you booted and then decided to keep drinking anyway, it was known as a "boot n' rally". It was usually followed by an intense hangover and regret the next day...ah, memories!

And, to quote a classic 90's movie....
"I say hurl. If you blow chunks and she comes back, she's yours. If you spew and she bolts, then it was never meant to be."
--Wayne Campbell

 

[nerudite]

have I forgotten any others? :-# :-# :-# :-#

How about...

'deliver the sidewalk pizza'
'whistling carrots'