This word ‘Kiwi’ has three definitions. First, it’s a kind of fruit you can eat, the kiwifruit. It’s very nutritious and really delicious to eat. Second, the kiwi is a special and nearly extinct bird. It can’t fly, which is unusual, and it only lives in New Zealand. It is a symbol of New Zealand, and New Zealand people call it ‘Kiwi’. Last, Kiwi has become the nickname used internationally to refer people from New Zealand.
Most people believe New Zealand has the most natural environment in the world, so a lot people admire New Zealanders and want to visit New Zealand. Not only that, Kiwi people are really friendly and very helpful. They really enjoy their laid back lives. Kiwi people seem to resist the hustle and bustle of the real world, so maybe some people think they aren’t hard working, but this is the Kiwi lifestyle. Also, they usually like their children to be full of curiosity
for strange things, so they can try new things in their lives. For example, they like extreme sports and camping, and rugby is a national sport for Kiwis. Besides, Kiwis like to have barbecues during summer. These things are truly Kiwi.
Finally, people have to be careful when saying the word ‘Kiwi’, because Kiwi could mean ‘person from NZ’ or the native bird, so people can use another word after Kiwi to clarify, for instance, kiwifruit or kiwi bird. When we talk about the fruit we always say ‘kiwifruit’, whereas word ‘Kiwi’, on its own, is used for people and the bird.
Kiwis
 |
Author: Gia Ngoc Tran (Jenny Chen)Giangoc is a student at Languages International. Read more articles by Giangoc. |
Photo credits: ‘Kiwifruit‘ by Justus Blümer, ‘Brown Kiwi‘ (bird) by Smithsonian’s National Zoo, Kiwis (people) by nznationalparty, and ‘Brian the Cat and his Kiwi Friend’ by Hannah Robinson.
