moni
/ˈmoni/
The Māori word for money is moni.
moni is used to refer to currency.
Meaning: currency (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
moni is a transliteration of the English word money.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈmoni/
Did you know?
- In traditional Māori society, the idea of 'payment' was often replaced by koha, a gift given to maintain social relationships rather than a commercial transaction.
- Before the arrival of Europeans and the word moni, Māori used pounamu or greenstone as a form of high-value currency and status symbol.
- While moni refers to currency, the concept of 'wealth' is often expressed through taonga, which refers to any prized possession whether it is tangible or spiritual.
Examples in context
- Ko tōu wāwata, kia whiwhi koe i te moni nui.Your ambition is to make lots of money.
- Kua whakatutuki pai rātou i ō rātou whāinga moni.They have successfully achieved their financial goals.
- Kei te hiahia au ki te moni.I want the money.
Example conversation
Manaia and Maia are shopping at a market.
- ManaiaHe nui te moni mō tēnei.This costs a lot of money.
- MaiaAe, he utu nui tēnā.Yes, that is expensive.
- ManaiaKāore e tino nui taku moni.I don't have very much money.
- MaiaKa taea e au te whai moni mō koe.I can get some money for you.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry moni, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
