| Kupu | Brief description |
| tūpāpaku | dead body, corpse, the deceased |
| whānau pani | the bereaved family |
| kawakawa | a plant, the leaves of which are worn by women as a sign of mourning |
| aituā | fatality, misfortune |
| urupā | cemetery |
| mate | to be dead, to be sick |
| hemo | to die, to pass away |
| tangi(hia) | to cry, mourn, weep, grieve |
| kōpū | belly, womb |
| tanu(mia) | to bury |
| nehu(a) | to bury (a corpse) |
| moenga roa | long sleep, eternal rest - euphemism for when a person dies |
| ope | party of visitors |
| whare tauā | the place where the corpse lies |