Kalmar “matai” tana da ma’anoni daban-daban dangane da yanayi da harshe. Ga wasu ma’anoni masu yiwuwa: A cikin al'adun Samoa, "matai" shine babban lakabi da ake ba wa shugaban kauye ko sarki. Tsarin matai wani muhimmin sashe ne na ƙungiyar zamantakewa da siyasa ta Samoan. A cikin harshen Fijian, "matai" na iya nufin "duba," "gani," ko " don kallo." A cikin yaren Tokelauan, "matai" na nufin "jagoranci" ko "don ja-gora." > A yaren Tuvaluan, “matai” na nufin “zama gwani” ko kuma “zama gwani.” A yaren Hindi, “matai” ba kalma ba ce da aka saba amfani da ita ba. usage, kuma ban sami wani shigarwar ƙamus nasa ba.Yana da mahimmanci a lura cewa kalmomi na iya samun ma'anoni daban-daban a cikin ma'anoni daban-daban ko harsuna daban-daban, kuma ma'anar da ke sama ba su kasance ba. m.