KITV 4 News anchor Paula Akana delivers The Hawaiian Word of the Day with students from Kamehameha Schools on Good Morning Hawaii Monday through Friday. The segment is designed to help viewers develop their understanding of the Hawaiian language and culture.
Because of Web constraints on our system we are unable to place macrons, or kahako marks above the vowels that require it. Therefore we will work to place accents over the letters when possible.
Monday: 'a'ole pilikia -- no problem
Tuesday: ke 'olu'olu -- please
Wednesday: e kala mai ia'u -- excuse me
Thursday: ola -- life
Friday: maha'oi -- stick your nose where it doesn't belong
A | E | I | O | U | B | H | K | L | M | N | P | W
A
E
I
- Iao -- Supreme cloud; area on Maui
- ihi to peel
- I Mua -- to move forward, Oahu street
- inu -- to drink
- Iwilei -- A section of Honolulu
O
U
- ua -- to shout, to cry
- Ulupalakua -- Breadfruit ripening; area on Maui
B
H
K
- ka'a 'óhua -- bus
- Kaena -- The heat; the north point area of Oahu
- kaha -- to grade
- kàhea -- to call
- Kahekili -- Maui chief, highway on Oahu, lightning
- Kahu -- Guardian
- kahului -- the winning
- Kailua -- Two seas, Windward Oahu town
Kaimukì -- Ti oven, area on Oahu- Kalakáua -- the day of war, monarch name: King David Kalakaua (there is a
- Kalanianaole -- highway on Oahu, name of Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole
- kalaupapa -- the flat plain
- kama'áina -- native born
- Kamehameha -- first king, royal family; the lonely one, highway name
- Kapalama -- lama wood house for chiefs, street on Oahu
- Kanalua -- Doubtful, undecided, reluctance
- Kaneohe -- Bamboo man; Windward Oahu town
- Kaonohi -- fragment of rainbow, Oahu road
- Kapiolani -- the arch of heaven, royalty name, Oahu avenue
- Kaunakakai -- Beach landing; town on Molokai
- kauo -- to tow or drag
- kaupalena to set a deadline
- Kapolei -- Lei of Kapo (Kapo was the sister of Pele); area of West Oahu
- Kaukau -- Chant for the dead or stones used as a temporary altar
- Kawaiahao -- water of Ha'o (famous chief), street name beginning on the grounds of Kawaiahao Church
- kea'au -- land section in the Puna district on the island of Hawaii
- kealaíkahiki -- pathway to Tahiti
- Keauhou -- the new current
- keaukaha -- passing current
- Keawa'ula -- A popular surfing spot often referred to as Yokohama Bay
- Keeaumoku -- father in law and ally of Kamehameha ekahi, also a street in Honolulu
- Kekúanaó'a -- the standing projections
- kéná -- that (near the speaker)
- keópua -- cloud bank
- ke 'olu'olu -- please
- Kihei -- Shawl or cape; area on Maui
- Kilauea -- spewing, much spreading, name of Big Island volcano
- kiloi -- to throw away
- Kina'u -- stain or blemish, street on Oahu
- kipa -- to visit
- kipahulu -- to fetch from exhausted gardens
- kipo'o to indent
- koekou to strum
- Komo mai -- to welcome, street on Oahu
- Kuleana -- Right, privilege or responsibility
- kùkàkùkà -- to discuss
- Ku ka paila -- A big pile
- kukula -- to build; to construct
- Kupono -- Honest, proper, appropriate
L
- Lanai -- Day of conquest; one of Hawaiian islands
- Lána'ihale -- house of LÁna'i;
- Laulima -- Cooperation or working together
- launiupoko -- short coconut leaf
- Laupáhoehoe -- smooth lava flat
- lau'ula -- red leaf
- Leahi -- Brow of the tuna fish; area on Oahu
- Leilani -- heavenly lei or child, street on Oahu
- lele -- to jump or to fly
- Lihue -- cold chill, main city on Kauai
- Likelike -- Mother of Princess Ka`iulani
- líwai -- street in 'aina haina and name of Kona family
- Loi -- patch as in taro, street in Manoa
- lomilomi -- to massage
M
- maha'oi -- stick your nose where it doesn't belong
- mai e 'ai -- come eat
- Maili -- pebbly or stone, an area on Oahu's Leeward coast
- Makapuu -- beach on Oahu, bulging eyes
- makemake -- want; like; desire
- Malama -- To care for
- málie -- calm
- mamalamoe -- paddle fragment
- mana'o -- thought; belief
- Manoa -- Vast; valley on Oahu
- Mano -- Shark
- Manu -- Bird or winged creature
- maoli -- native, genuine, true, real
- má'ona -- full; had enough to eat
- Mau -- plural marker (equivalent to adding the letter 's' after most English nouns)
- Maui -- 2nd largest island in the Hawaiian chain; name of demigod
- Maunalua -- Two mountains, also ancient name for Hawaii Kai
- Mauna Kea -- White mountain; volcano on the Big Island
- Mililani -- Oahu town, beloved place of the chief
- minoaka -- to smile
- Moiliili -- pebble lizard, area on Oahu
- moiwi -- cut bone
- Mokapu -- Sacred island
- mokuhau -- hau thicket, street on Maui
- mokulele -- airplane
- mokuola -- healing island
N
P
W