It is often used to refer to specific rivers in New Zealand, such as:
* Te Awanui-a-Ruahine: A river in the Hawke's Bay region.
* Te Awanui-a-Tamaki: A river in the Northland region.
However, it can also be used as a general term for any large river.
The word "te" is the definite article in Māori, similar to "the" in English. "Awanui" is a compound word made up of "awa" (river) and "nui" (big).