Glossary of Hawaiian Words and Local Idioms

These words and phrases appear in our stories but may not be known to some readers. Primary sources are the Hawaiian Dictionary (University of Hawai'i Press) and Pidgin to da Max (Bess Press).

'a= The red-footed, brown, or masked or blue-faced booby. All indigenous to Hawai'i and also breeding elsewhere. 'a'a Jagged, rocky lava. 'ahi Yellowfin tuna. 'aina Land, earth. akamai In most common usage, a modifier meaning smart, clever or witty. ali'i Chief, ruler, monarch. aloha There are over 30 shadings of meaning under the entry in Pukui's Hawaiian Dictionary. The most common are love, affection, compassion, kindness, greeting, farewell and regards. 'amakihi A group of small endemic Hawaiian honey creepers, with yellow and greenish feathers. 'aumakua A family or personal god or a deified ancestor who might assume the shape of an animal like a shark, octopus, bird or dog, or even an object like a rock or a cloud. 'auwai Ditch, canal. 'awa Kava. A plant of the pepper family that is native to Pacific islands, its root is the source of a narcotic drink.
'ewa Area west of Honolulu, used as a direction term for west.
halau A hula school; a meeting house for hula instruction. hale House, building, lodge, hall; to have a house. hale ku='ai Store, shop. hana hou To do again, repeat, renew, repair, mend; encore. ha=nai A foster child or adopted child. Also used as a verb, as in to hanai a child. haole White person, Caucasian; American, English; formerly, any foreigner. ha=pai Pregnant; to conceive. heiau A place of worship or a shrine. Some heiau were elaborately constructed stone platforms, others simple earth terraces. honohono A creeping grass or weed. ho'olaule'a Celebration, festival. hui Club, association, society, corporation, company, institution, organization and, in Pukui's Hawaiian Dictionary, nine other types of groups, formal and informal. huki To pull or tug, as on a rope; to give support, as to a political party. humuhumunukunukua=pua'a A trigger fish with a blunt snout like a pig (pua'a).
imu Underground oven.
kahuna Priest, sorcerer, magician, wizard, minister, expert in any profession. kalo lo'i Taro patch. kalua Baked shredded meat. kama'aina Specifically, native-born or host. But in usage, has come to mean anyone who has lived in Hawai'i a long time. Kamapua'a A demigod who could take the shape of a man or a pig. kanaka maoli According to Pukui, a full-blooded Hawaiian. But in today's common usage, any person of native Hawaiian ancestry. kapa Unwoven cloth made from tree bark. kapu Taboo, prohibition, forbidden. Also used in pidgin as a verb to lay claim, as in "I kapu da big piece." kauka Doctor, physician, medical. keiki Child. kiawe Algaroba tree. From Peru and first planted in Hawai'i in 1928, it has become very common and useful. The wood from the tree is valued for cooking fires. ki=puka A clear place or oasis within a lava bed where there may be vegetation. koa A valuable endemic Hawaiian lumber tree used for canoes, surfboards and calabashes. Now more often used for furniture and ukulules. Also used to describe a person as brave, bold, fearless, warrior-like. kokua Help, aid or assistance. koloa A duck native to Hawai'i. kolohe Rascal (most common usage), mischievous, naughty, unethical or unprincipled, illegal, fraudulent, destructive. komo mai Come in; welcome. ku=kulu kumuhana To pool thoughts and prayers to solve common problems. kumu Teacher, tutor, manual, primer, model, pattern. kupulau Spring season. kupuna Grandparent, ancestor, an older relative or close friend.
lanai Porch, veranda, balcony. lau hala Pandanus leaf usually used for weaving. lei Necklace of flowers, leaves, shells, feathers, etc., given as a symbol of affection. lo'i Irrigated terrace, especially for taro. lokomaika'i Good will, good disposition, generosity, grace; kind, humane, gracious, benevolent, benificent, obliging. lu='au Hawaiian feast.
mahalo Thanks, gratitude. To thank. mahalo nui loa Thank you very much. maile A native vine with shiny fragrant leaves, used for lei and decorations, especially on important occasions. It is a member of the periwinkle family. makai Toward the ocean. Used in giving directions. make To die, dead. mana Supernatural or divine power; spiritual. manini When used as an adjective, usually means "small" or "stingy." The most common noun usage refers to a reef surgeonfish. ma'o hau hele Native yellow hibiscus. mauka Toward the mountains. Used in giving directions. Menehune Legendary race of small people who worked at night, building fish ponds, roads, temples. While industrious, they were also of mischievous nature, and hold a similar place in Hawaiian mythology as leprechauns do in Irish. moi Threadfish, which was much esteemed for food. Also a native variety of taro, and a variety of sweet potato. Moloka'i Hoe Annual Moloka'i to O'ahu canoe race.
na= pua no'eau The skillful, talented or artistic children of Hawai'i. nahele nani Beautiful forest. nahenahe Soft, sweet, melodious, as music or a gentle voice. Also, softly blowing, gentle-mannered or soft-spoken. naupaka kahakai From Pukui: A spreading, succulent shrub found on coasts of tropical Asia and some islands of the Pacific. Flowers are white and may be streaked with purple. The berries are white and about 1.3 cm long, looking like hailstones. ne=ne= A goose native to Hawai'i, is the state bird. ni=ele To be inquisitive, questioning or nosy, often used to describe a "busybody." no ka 'oi A phrase used after a noun -- usually a place name -- meaning "is the best."
'ohana Family; blood-related or extended. 'ohia A hard wood tree of varying heights and forms that grows abundantly in wet areas. The tree is also called 'ohia lehua or lehua. Lehua is also the flower of the tree. 'o=kole Buttocks. ono (noun) The large mackerel-type fish known as wahoo in Florida. 'ono (adjective) Delicious, tasty. 'o'opu A saltwater or freshwater fish; a goby. 'opala trash, rubbish, garbage. 'opihi limpet.
pa=hoehoe Smooth, unbroken type of lava. pakalo=lo= Marijuana. pali Cliff. paniolo Cowboy. pau Finished, completed. pau hana Work is done. Pele Volcano goddess. pilikia Trouble. pipi kaula Beef jerky. pipipi General name for small mollusks. poke In traditional Hawaiian usage, a verb meaning to cut crosswise into pieces, as fish or wood. But through usage, has become a noun meaning any of many varieties of raw fish or other seafood salads. pono Correct or proper procedure; goodness, well-being. puka Hole. Necklaces made of shells with holes, called puka shells, were popular in the 1970s. pu=lehu To broil. pune'e A movable couch. pu=pu= Appetizer. pu=pu= kani oe Endangered O'ahu native tree snail. pu'u Any kind of protuberance, from a pimple to a hill.
'ukulele Small, guitarlike musical instrument, chiefly associated with Hawaiian music. 'ulu Breadfruit. A tree belonging to the fig family, which is grown for its edible fruits and sometimes for ornament. Also, a round, smooth stone used in Hawaiian games as a bowling ball, bell clapper, die, etc. ulua Certain species of crevalle, jack or pompano; an important game fish and food item.
wahine Woman. wana Sea urchin.
chicken skin Local version of "goose bumps." Sometimes used as an adjective. kamaboko Japanese fishcake used in many local dishes. kaukau Food; eat. loco moco Favorite local dish consisting of a hamburger patty on a bed of rice, topped with a sunny-side egg and drenched with brown gravy. manapua A local idiom for Chinese pork cake. musubi Japanese rice ball. pake Slang for Chinese. Derogatory, depending on context. po'tagee Slang for Portuguese. Derogatory, depending on context. shaka Friendly hand gesture with middle fingers curled under, and thumb and pinky extended out. Used to express thanks, aloha. shoyu Japanese for soy sauce. talking stink The act of saying negative things about another person, usually behind their back. uku million, uku pile Very many. ume Pickled plum sometimes found in the middle of musubi.