Common Tongan proverbs and figurative idioms with their meanings explained, for an upper-level learner. Front: the Tongan idiom. Back: English meaning and usage note.
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- Ko e ʻOtua mo Tonga ko hoku tofiʻa
- "God and Tonga are my inheritance," the national motto of the Kingdom of Tonga.
- Loto lahi
- A big heart, i.e. brave, generous
- Loto siʻi
- A small heart, i.e. faint-hearted, timid
- Māʻolunga
- High
- Fie māʻolunga
- Wanting to seem high or important, i.e. arrogant
- Kuo tō e laʻā
- The sun has set, i.e. an era has ended, or someone has died
- Fanongo ki he loto
- Listen to your heart, i.e. follow your intuition
- ʻE ʻikai ke maʻu ha meʻa taʻe ngāue
- Nothing is gained without work
- Kamata mei he lalo
- Start from the bottom, i.e. begin humbly
- Ko e lea moʻoni
- The true word, i.e. the honest truth
- Loto tauhi lea
- A heart that keeps its word, i.e. loyalty
- Kavenga mamafa
- A heavy burden, a serious responsibility
- Fatongia fakafāmili
- A family duty or obligation
- Tuʻunga māʻolunga
- A high status, a high rank
- Founga totonu
- The correct, right way of doing something
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