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100 New Zealand Idioms and Expressions

March 22, 2026

100 New Zealand Idioms and Expressions

No. Item Definition
1. a bit how ya goin’ a bit odd or rough
2. all good everything is fine
3. as crook as a dog very sick
4. as dry as very funny; witty
5. as flash as very fancy
6. as good as gold fine; well-behaved
7. as mad as a cut snake very angry
8. as rough as guts very rough; unpleasant
9. as useless as tits on a bull completely useless
10. away laughing certain to succeed
11. back of beyond very remote place
12. bang on exactly right
13. bar of soap hard to catch; slippery person
14. be in the poo be in trouble
15. better than a poke in the eye better than nothing
16. bugger all almost nothing
17. can’t be bothered don’t feel like doing it
18. carry on like a pork chop overreact; make a fuss
19. chuck a sickie take a fake sick day
20. chuck a u-ey make a U-turn
21. chuck it in quit; give up
22. come a gutser fall badly; fail hard
23. daggy as very unfashionable
24. dead set seriously; truly
25. do a runner leave quickly; escape
26. do the hard yards do the tough work
27. done and dusted finished completely
28. drag the chain be slow; delay
29. easy as very easy
30. fair dinkum genuine; truly
31. far out wow; surprise or disbelief
32. few sandwiches short not very smart
33. flat out very busy
34. full of it lying; exaggerating
35. get a wriggle on hurry up
36. get amongst it join in actively
37. get on the blower make a phone call
38. give it a nudge try; make an effort
39. go crook get angry
40. good on ya well done; good for you
41. hard case a funny, cheeky person
42. hard yakka hard work
43. have a yarn have a chat
44. heaps good very good
45. in a tick very soon
46. in the wop-wops in the middle of nowhere
47. it’ll be apples it will be fine
48. it’s a stitch-up unfair setup; trick
49. it’s all go very busy; active
50. it’s cactus it’s broken; ruined
51. keen as very eager
52. kick back relax
53. like a stunned mullet blank; speechless
54. like water off a duck criticism doesn’t affect them
55. lose the plot go crazy; lose control
56. make a cuppa make tea or coffee
57. make a meal of it overcomplicate; fuss
58. mate’s rates discount for a friend
59. mean as excellent; impressive
60. morepork hour late at night
61. munted as damaged; very drunk
62. nah, yeah agreement after hesitation
63. no dramas no problems
64. no worries it’s okay; don’t stress
65. not even absolutely not
66. off you go go ahead; start
67. off your face very drunk or high
68. on a hiding to nothing in a losing situation
69. on the piss out drinking alcohol
70. out the gate right from the start
71. pack a sad sulk; feel sorry for yourself
72. pash rash rash from kissing
73. piece of piss very easy
74. piss off go away; annoy
75. pull finger hurry up; get moving
76. put the jug on make tea
77. rack off go away; stop it
78. rough as guts very rough; unpleasant
79. run it up the flagpole test an idea
80. run out of puff lose energy
81. same same almost the same thing
82. save your breath don’t bother arguing
83. she’ll be right it will be fine
84. shot, bro thanks; good job
85. spit the dummy have a tantrum
86. sweet as excellent; very good
87. take the mickey tease; mock
88. tell him he’s dreaming that’s unrealistic
89. that’ll do that’s enough; okay
90. the full noise the complete thing
91. too easy no problem; simple
92. too right definitely; absolutely
93. under the pump under pressure; rushed
94. up the duff pregnant
95. what a stitch-up unfair situation; setup
96. what’s the go? what’s happening; what’s the plan
97. wouldn’t touch it would not get involved
98. yeah, nah polite disagreement; actually no
99. you beauty great news; well done
100. you can say that again I strongly agree
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