Greetings
Ōtautahi
oh-tow-TAH-hee
Christchurch in te reo Māori. Used on signage, in official documents and increasingly in ordinary speech alongside the English name.
Kia ora
KEE-ah OR-ah
Hello, thanks and good health at once. Used by everyone, constantly, in te reo and in New Zealand English alike.
Daily life
TC1, TC2, TC3
tee-see one, two, three
Technical categories describing how vulnerable land is to liquefaction. They determine what foundations a build needs and they follow a property forever.
The red zone
—
Land bought out by the Crown after the earthquakes because rebuilding was not feasible — mostly along the Avon in the eastern suburbs, now the Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor.
On-sold
—
A house bought after the earthquakes whose new owner then discovered missed or botched repairs. It is a specific and well-known Canterbury problem, and it is a due diligence question.
NHCover
en-aitch-COVER
Natural hazards cover through the Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake — the renamed EQC since 1 July 2024. Capped at NZD 300,000 plus GST for a dwelling.
The nor'wester
nor-WES-ter
The hot dry föhn wind that comes over the Southern Alps and across the plains. It is fierce, it makes everyone irritable, and locals genuinely blame it for their mood.
Southerly
SUTH-er-lee
The cold change off the Antarctic Ocean. A twenty-degree drop in an hour is normal. Layers are not optional here the way they can be in Auckland.
Tramping
TRAMP-ing
Hiking, and close to a national pastime — and Christchurch is the best-placed city in New Zealand for it, with Arthur's Pass under two hours away.
Culture
The Port Hills
—
The volcanic ridge between the city and Lyttelton harbour. Views, walking tracks, mountain biking — and the city's main wildfire risk area.
Social
Sweet as
sweet az
Great / no worries. The 'as' is a full stop, not the start of a comparison.
Emergency
111 / 105
one-one-one / one-oh-five
Emergency services, and the police non-emergency line for anything not happening right now. Not 911 or 999.
Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.