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The 10 Most Important Kiwi Slang Words to Know

The 10 Most Important Kiwi Slang Words to Know

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The relatively tiny islands of New Zealand are known for breathtaking forests, gorgeous coastlines, and scenery for the “Lord of the Rings” movie franchise. But beyond all that, the Kiwi culture incorporates a fascinating blend of native Maori people, British colonial influence, and something special that is just of the country’s own making. Kiwi slang is an awesome byproduct of this blend, and the following are the 10 most important Kiwi slang words to know for any savvy visitor to New Zealand.

Sources: Chemistry.co.nz, NewZealandSlang.com, and the wonderful people of New Zealand I’ve been living among for the past few weeks.

bach
Bach

If you hear somebody talking about heading to their bach (pronounced “batch”) for the weekend, they’re not referring to a bachelor party or a batch of moonshine they’ve cooked up in the bathroom. A bach is a small holiday home that city dwellers often keep in the smaller towns and coastal areas as weekend escapes.

CHILLYBIN
Chilly bin

Contrary to my initial belief, a chilly bin isn’t a special type of crock pot for cooking chili. It’s actually just a cooler, or any type of insulated box, for keeping food and drinks cold. So be sure not to forget your chilly bin packed with beer the next time you head to the beach!

DAG
Dag

A dag refers to anybody who is a bit of a joker or comedian, refusing to take anything seriously. It’s not necessarily an insult, but definitely not a compliment either, so just think of it as someone being called out on being a hard case; “Eh bro, you’re being a bit of a dag today, aren’t you? Stop muckin’ around!”

JANDALS
Jandals

Sandals are their own thing, and refer to any type of flip flops or thongs. And you can count on the fact that in any coastal New Zealand city you head to, the vast majority of Kiwis and visitors alike will be donning their jandals for a trip out to the beach.

PIECEOFPISS
Piece of piss

“Eh bro, that test was piece of piss, don’t you think?” Piece of piss, as delightful as it sounds, just refers to something being incredibly easy, to the point where it’s no more difficult that relieving oneself. Simple, yet incredibly classy.

RATTLEYOURDAGS
Rattle your dags

This is a favorite, but has nothing to do with the aforementioned “dag.” To tell someone to “rattle your dags” is a somewhat crude way of encouraging them to hurry up and get a move on. The origin of this term is beautiful. When sheep — which New Zealand is known to have plenty of — have dried excrement hanging on their wool and begin to run, it’s known as rattling dags. Gross, but a great image.

SCULL
Scull

To scull a quick drink is to down/chug/empty it as quick as you can, most likely so you’re able to pour a new one. It’s a most important skill for anyone doing wine tasting, beer tasting, a time-limited happy hour, or someone looking to catch up with those around him who have been drinking for several hours longer.

SQUIZ
Squiz

A squiz, though it may sound like something else, is actually just a look. So if you need someone to glace at your car and make sure it’s running fine, you may ask them to “give a squiz” under the hood (or bonnet, as it’s named in NZ).

SWEETAS
Sweet as

The most important term in New Zealand, “sweet as” replaces anything from “cool,” to “awesome,” to even it’s simpler cousin, “sweet!” You can hardly go an hour without hearing “sweet as,” and you’ll find that it catches on quicker than you might imagine.

WHINGE
Whinge

Don’t be the one who’s always whinging, because it’s unlikely anybody will want to hang out with you. To “whinge” is to complain, and it’s highly annoying. So don’t do it.