New Zealand (Kiwi) Slang
See an A-Z glossary of New Zealand (Kiwi) slang words and phrases.
New Zealand slang has something in common with Aussie and British slang but also many differences.
Learn to yack like a proper Kiwi with this fun listing of New Zealand slang words and colloquialisms.
A
all good - no problem, fine
Anzac biscuit - a sweet biscuit.
aroha - love, empathy*
B
bach - holiday home (pronounced "batch")
beaut - great, excellent
belt up - be quiet, shut up
bogans - unsophisticated, rough
boil the billy - brew up, make tea
boomer - baby boomer (but used of anyone old enough to be your parent)
bro - mate, friend (usually male)
C
Captain Cooker - wild pig
cark it - die
cheers - thanks
chilly bin - cool box
chocka - full
choice - great, fantastic
chook - chicken (the bird, not its meat)
chur - thank you
Coaster - resident or ex-resident of the west coast of the South Island
cocky - farmer
crack up - funny, amusing
crib - South Island term for a bach
cuz - mate, similar to bro
D
dag - amusing, funny person
dairy - general store selling essentials
dob in - report a friend or acquaintance to the police
dunger - run-down property
Dunners - Dunedin
dunny - toilet
E
egg - fool, idiot
F
footie - rugby (not soccer)
G
Godzone - God's own country (i.e., New Zealand)
good as gold - great, perfect
greasies - (pronounced "gree-zeez") takeaway food, especially fish and chips
grotty - disgusting
grub - food
gummies - gumboots, wellingtons
H
hard case - funny, amusing
hard out - agree
hard word - as in "put the hard work on" - demand
heaps - a lot of
hot chips - chips/French fries
hungus - a person who eats a lot
I
Ice block - ice lolly
J
Jandal - Japanese sandal, flip-flops
JAFA - Just Another F*cking Aucklander
judder bar - speed bump
jug - liter of beer
K
kai - food*
keen - enthusiastic
kiwi - kiwi can refer to natives of New Zealand, the flightless bird, or the fruit*
L
laughing gear - mouth
lay-by - purchasing goods by having them put aside by the merchant and paying them off in instalments, receiving the goods when payment is complete.
long drop - outside toilet
lucked in - in luck
M
Maccas - McDonalds
mare - short for nightmare, bad experience
mean as - awesome, great
morning tea - mid-morning snack
munted - broken
N
O
OE - overseas experience (for young Kiwis); traditionally working behind a bar in London
P
paddock - field
pakaru - broken*
pash - passionate kiss
pike out - chicken out
piker - lazy, useless
piss - beer
prang - crash, vehicle accident
Q
R
ratbag - unpleasant or malicious person, but used fondly in the case of mischievous children
rark up - telling off
root - vulgar term for sexual intercourse
rough as guts - poor, badly-made, performing badly
S
sav - saveloy (sausage)
scarfie - uni student in Dunedin
she'll be right - everything will be fine
skull - drink in one
skux - attractive, cool
snag - sausage
snarler - sausage
smoko - tea break (from smoking break)
spit the dummy - tantrum
squiz - look
staggy - stagnant
stink one - disappointed
stubbies - shorts
sunnies - sunglasses
sus - suspicious
sweet as - no problem
T
tall poppy - arrogant, someone who excels
the olds - one's parents (informal)
tiki tour - guided tour
tinny - a small (tin-foil-wrapped) package of cannabis resin
togs - swimwear
tramping - walking, hiking
tramp stamp - a tattoo on a woman's lower back
tu meke - too much (thanks a lot)*
turps - booze
twink - white out/correct text
U
uni - university
ute - utility vehicle
V
varsity - university
W
Wellywood - the nickname for New Zealand's film industry centred on Wellington
Westie - resident of west Auckland
wop-wops - middle of nowhere, remote area
X
Y
yakka - work
yarn - chat, talk
yeah nah - a way of saying no without being too direct about it
yonks - long time
Z
*word of Maori origin
Related
Books on New Zealand
 Slang){kind=link}
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