Sweet As Tees › Blog › Mean As Meaning NZ: The Kiwi Way of Saying Something's Awesome
By The Sweet As Crew · — Sweet As Tees Blog
What does mean as mean in New Zealand? Learn how Kiwis use this slang phrase to express something impressive, cool or excellent.
Mean As Meaning NZ: The Kiwi Way of Saying Something's AwesomeIf you've spent any time around New Zealanders, you've probably heard someone call something "mean as" and wondered why they're being aggressive about a perfectly nice thing. Chur, don't stress — in Aotearoa, "mean as" is about as far from aggressive as you can get. It's one of those brilliant pieces of Kiwi slang that turns a word completely on its head and makes it mean the opposite. Sweet as, aye?
In New Zealand slang, mean as means excellent, awesome, impressive, or really cool. It's the Kiwi equivalent of saying "that's brilliant" or "that's epic." Nothing mean about it at all — despite what anyone from overseas might think.
The phrase follows the classic NZ "X as" construction (think "sweet as," "hard as," "choice as") where you take a word and add "as" to amp up its meaning. The "as" is short for "as anything" — so "mean as" literally means "mean as anything," which evolved to just mean "really good."
You'll hear it used for: - A killer feed: "That burger was mean as, bro" - A gnarly surf session: "Conditions out there are mean as" - Someone's new car: "Oi, mean as wheels" - A mate who helped you out: "Chur, that's mean as of ya"
"Mean as" is just one of dozens of phrases using the iconic Kiwi "as" suffix. Once you understand how it works, you'll be slinging Kiwi slang like a local in no time.
Common "X as" phrases: - Sweet as — awesome, no worries, sounds good - Hard as — tough, difficult, or impressively hardcore - Rough as — pretty terrible, or a rough-looking person - Keen as — very enthusiastic ("keen as mustard") - Mint as — excellent, in great condition - Dumb as — really stupid - Suss as — suspicious or sketchy
The beauty of this construction is you can apply it to almost any adjective. Kiwis have been known to coin new ones on the spot. Someone might say "that concert was loud as" or "this hill is steep as" — and everyone knows exactly what they mean.
Getting the hang of "mean as" is pretty straightforward once you've heard it a few times. Here are some real-world examples of how Kiwis use it:
As an adjective: - "Did you see that try? Mean as." - "New Zealand's South Island scenery is mean as, hard out." - "That tee from sweetastees.com is mean as — proper Kiwi."
As a response or reaction: - Mate: "We got free tickets to the cricket." You: "Mean as!" - Mate: "I reckon I can eat that whole pie." You: "Mean as, give it a go."
Paired with other slang: - "Sweet as, that's mean as, bro." - "Hard out mean as, aye." - "Chur, mean as effort today."
This is the question every confused tourist asks. The short answer: language does weird things over time, and New Zealanders have always loved flipping the script on conventional meanings.
"Mean" in the context of "mean as" likely developed from British slang where "mean" could mean impressive or formidable — think "a mean feat" or "mean skills." Kiwis grabbed onto this usage and ran with it, particularly through youth and surf culture from the 1970s and 80s onward.
It's similar to how "bad" came to mean "good" in American slang, or how "sick" means something awesome in surf and skate culture worldwide. Language is living and Kiwis love to make theirs their own.
New Zealand has no shortage of ways to express that something is great. Here's how "mean as" stacks up against the competition:
Phrase Vibe When to use Mean as Strong, impressed Cool things, good results Sweet as Relaxed, agreeable Agreement, good news Choice Classic Kiwi approval General awesomeness Chur Casual thanks/agreement Acknowledging something good Hard out Intense emphasis Really, truly, extremely Ka pai Warm praise (Te Reo) Encouragement, well done Ka rawe High praise (Te Reo) Truly excellentThey're not interchangeable — each has its own flavour. "Mean as" tends to carry a bit more weight than "sweet as." It's the difference between nodding approvingly and genuinely pumping your fist.
You'll spot "mean as" woven through all corners of New Zealand life:
Sport: After a big All Blacks win, social media explodes with "mean as, boys." Rugby commentators drop it naturally. School coaches use it to hype up young players.
Food: Kiwis are serious about their kai (food). A mean as feed might be a proper Sunday roast, a fresh batch of Mum's afghans, or the best fish and chips you've ever had after a day at the beach.
Nature: New Zealand's landscapes constantly earn the "mean as" label. A clear day on Milford Sound? Mean as. First light on Aoraki/Mount Cook? Absolutely mean as.
Everyday wins: Fixed the car yourself, sorted a tricky work problem, nailed a job interview — all "mean as" moments. Kiwis use it to celebrate effort and achievement without being too over the top about it.
At sweetastees.com, we're big fans of the "mean as" approach to life. Our tees are designed to celebrate the Kiwi spirit — the understated confidence, the dry humour, the genuine pride in where we're from. Whether you're a born-and-bred Kiwi or just someone who fell in love with Aotearoa, there's a tee for you.
Grab something mean as from the shop and wear your Kiwi pride on your sleeve. Literally.
What does "mean as" mean in New Zealand? "Mean as" is New Zealand slang for excellent, awesome, or impressive. Despite the word "mean," it has nothing to do with being unkind — it's a high compliment.
How do you pronounce "mean as"? Just like it looks: "meen az." The "as" is typically said quickly and casually, almost like "iz" in natural speech.
Is "mean as" used in Australia too? Occasionally, but it's primarily a Kiwi phrase. Australians have their own slang for awesome ("sick," "ripper," "mad") and "mean as" tends to mark you as a New Zealander.
Can I use "mean as" sarcastically? Yes, with the right tone. "Oh yeah, missing the bus in the rain, mean as" would land as sarcastic. Context and tone do the heavy lifting.
What's the difference between "mean as" and "sweet as"? "Sweet as" is more relaxed and agreeable — it often means "no worries" or "sounds good." "Mean as" carries more weight and is specifically about something being impressive or excellent.
Is "mean as" considered rude? Not at all in New Zealand. Visitors sometimes look alarmed when a Kiwi calls something "mean as" — but once you're in the know, it's one of the warmest compliments around.
Are there other "X as" phrases in NZ slang? Heaps. "Sweet as," "hard as," "rough as," "keen as," "mint as," "dumb as" — Kiwis apply the "as" construction to almost any adjective. It's one of the most flexible features of NZ slang.
Where can I learn more NZ slang? Right here on the Sweet As Tees blog, chur! Check out our NZ slang dictionary and Kiwi phrases guide. And grab a tee while you're there — mean as.
Want to explore more Kiwi expressions? Our complete New Zealand slang guide covers 100+ terms with meanings, pronunciation, and real examples ? a proper resource for anyone learning the lingo.
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Tags: nz slang, kiwi phrases, new zealand, kiwi culture