Kia ora

External audio
Pronunciation at Kōrero Māori, the Māori Language Commission website

Kia ora (Māori pronunciation: [kiˈaɔɾa], approximated in English as /ˌkiː ˈɔːrə/ kee OR-ə or /ˈkjɔːrə/ KYOR-ə) is a Māori-language greeting which has entered New Zealand English. It translates literally as "have life" or "be healthy", wishing the essence of life upon someone, from one speaker to the other. It is used as an informal greeting or farewell equivalent to "hi", "hello", or "goodbye" and can be used as an expression of thanks similar to "cheers". As a greeting of local origin, it is comparable to the term "g'day" (used in Australian and New Zealand English).

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