mahi pai
The Māori phrase for "great work" is mahi pai.
mahi pai is an expression used to praise someone for doing a job or task well.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of mahi, meaning "work" or "job" and pai, meaning "good".
Did you know?
- The word pai shares an ancient root with the Malay word baik and the Tagalog word bait.
- In Māori culture, praise often extends beyond the work itself to the spirit or 'mana' of the person performing it.
- In some contexts, mahi refers not just to the action of working, but to the actual physical object created by the work, such as a carving.
Examples in context
- Ka pai te mahi ki te whiriwhiri i ngā kaupapa whakapau kaha!Good job on selecting the challenging tasks!
- Mahi pai te tīma.The team did great work.
Example conversation
Wiremu has finished repairing a wooden fence.
- AnaheraMahi pai, Wiremu!Great work, Wiremu!
- WiremuTēnā koe, Anahera.Thank you, Anahera.
- AnaheraHe mahi pai tēnei.This is great work.
- WiremuKa pai.Very good.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mahi, pai, CC BY-SA 4.0.
