KITV 4 News anchor Paula Akana introduces the Hawaiian Word of the Day, brought to you by Kamehameha Schools on KITV 4 News each morning Monday through Friday. Words are presented by students from Kamehameha Schools and various Hawaiian charter schools to help viewers develop a better understanding of Hawaiian language and culture.

A | B | E | H | I | K | L | M | N | O | P | U | W

A
'ae -- is the Hawaiian word for "yes." "'Ae, hiki ia'u ke hana!" "Yes, I can do it!"
'aha mele -- concert. "E hele ana 'oe i ka 'aha mele?" Are you going to the concert?
'a'ole -- is the Hawaiian word for "no," "not," or "none." 'A'ole loa means "no way!"
A'u -- is the word for swordfish, and, marlin. We often see it spelled in the markets as "au". Used correctly it is a'u.
  ·  'ai -- to eat
  ·  'aka'aka -- to laugh
'awa -- the Hawaiian word for kawa; a drink made by pounding the root of the 'awa plant.
Ala -- It's meanings include path, road, or trail as in Ke•ala•ke•kua (path of the gods) and Ala•wai (fresh water trail)
ala -- to awaken, to rise up. "E ala mai." Awaken, arise.
  ·  Ala 'Ala -- Street/Path or sweet fragrance
  ·  alakea -- white road
  ·  Ala Wai -- water way, canal in Waikiki
Aloha -- the most common Hawaiian word you will hear. It has many meanings but most often refers to love, compassion, and affection.
ali'i -- is a very common Hawaiian word and it means "chief" or "chiefess."
  ·  anuanu -- cold
ānuenue-- rainbow; we see many of them in Hawai`i
  ·  Ao -- It's meanings include clouds and sky as in Ao•lele (flying clouds) and Ao•lani (heavenly cloud)
  ·  'a'ole pilikia -- no problem
  ·  Au -- It's meanings include an era or current as in Ke•au•hou (the new era) and Ke•au•kaha (the passing current)
  ·  'au'au --to bathe
Awa -- It's meanings include harbor, cove, or channel as in Ke•awa•iki (the small channel) and Ke•awa•kapu the (forbidden harbor)

B

  ·  Beretania -- Britain

E

  ·  e kala mai ia'u -- excuse me
'Ele -- It's meanings include dark or black as in 'Ele•'ele (black) and One•'ele (black sand)
  ·  E Malama Pono -- To take care
  ·  ea -- sovereignty or life
'eleu -- lively or active "'Eleu mai!" Look alive!
  ·  'eke -- bag
'Ewa -- is a well-known place name throughout Hawai'i. It refers to the district West of Honolulu and we use it as a common directional, as in "the 'Ewa bound lanes." 'Ewa means "crooked."

H

  ·  hA -- breath, life, to breathe, exhale.
  ·  Ha'aha'a -- Humble
  ·  ha'ahea -- proud, to cherish with pride.
  ·  ha'awi -- to give
  ·  hai -- to speak, to break
  ·  hakakà -- to fight
  ·  hakioawa -- breaking of the harbor
  ·  Halakahiki -- Pineapple
  ·  Halawa -- Curve; valley on Oahu
hale -- is a common Hawaiian word and it means "house" or "building." "E hele mai i ka hale" means "come over to the house!"
Haleakala -- line over last a
  ·  Haleakalā -- Haleakalā is Māui's highest peak and one of the tallest mountains in Hawai'i. Haleakalā means "house of the sun" and was home to the god Māui's grandmother.
  ·  Haleiwa -- House of the 'iwa bird; town on Oahu's north shore
  ·  Hale ho'ike'ike -- Museum
  ·  Hale ho'ike'ike holoholona -- Zoo
  ·  hale ho'okolokolo -- courthouse
  ·  Hale ku'ai -- Store
  ·  hale maka'i -- police station
  ·  Halemaumau -- fern house (fire pit of Pele), oahu roadway
hale pule -- "house of prayer" or church; the "Hale Pule `o Kawaiaha`o" is "Kawaiaha`o Church."
  ·  háliimaile -- maile vines strewn
hale waihona puke -- library. "E hele i ka hale waihona puke." Go to the library.
Hāmau -- be quiet
hana
Hana -- Its meanings include bay or valley when used in place names such as Hana•pēpē (crushed bay) and Hana•leicrescent (shaped bay)
Hana -- has many meanings like "work," "labor," "activity," or "action." Pau hana is the shortcut way of saying "pau ka hana" "the work is done."
hānai -- has two very important meanings: to feed or raise and to foster or adopt
Hanalei -- is a beautiful district and large bay on the North side of Kaua'i. Hanalei means "crescent bay."
  ·  Hanapepe -- To bruise or to crush; area on Kauai
  ·  hAnau -- to give birth.
  ·  Hanauma -- Curved Bay
  ·  hanohano -- glorious,magnificent,noble honored.
  ·  hapai hao -- to lift, as in weights
haumana -- is a word many of us have heard or use now and then. Haumana means student.
  ·  hea -- where
  ·  he aha ka mea hou -- what's new?
  ·  He'eia -- Heavenly shadow, area on Oahu's Windward side
  ·  heenalu -- to surf
Heiau -- temple, shrine, or other pre-Christian place of worship
hele -- is a common Hawaiian word. It means "go," "move," or "walk." E hele kākou means "let's go!"
  ·  heleakala -- to snare by the sun
Hiamoe -- means sleep and when you "go to sleep," you "ho'i i ka hiamoe." Many of us are used to hearing moe moe. Give hiamoe a try.
hewa -- mistake. "No'u ka hewa." My mistake, my bad
  ·  hiki nó -- okay
  ·  Hilo: Hawaiian Word -- to twist or braid and it is the first night of the new moon and a town on the Big Island
  ·  himeni -- to sing
  ·  hinano -- male pandanus flower
  ·  hiwahiwa -- precious
  ·  hoalu -- depression or to slack
  ·  hó'ihi -- sacred, holy
  ·  Hoihoi: Hawaiian Word -- interesting and entertaining
  ·  holo -- to run
holoholo -- to ride or walk around for fun. "E holoholo kākou." Lets go holoholo!
  ·  honi -- to kiss or smell
  ·  ho'oilina -- heir, inheritance, legacy, heritage.
ho'okano -- arrogant, rude, or proud; definitely not a good trait!
  ·  ho'oku'i -- collision
  ·  ho'Ola -- to save, heal, cure.
  ·  ho'olohe -- to listen
  ·  ho'oma'ema'e -- to clean
ho'oma'ama'a -- to practice. "Pono 'oe e ho'oma'ama'a." You have to practice.
ho'omanawanui -- patience. "E ho'omanawanui mai." Be patient.
  ·  ho'opi'i -- to one
  ·  Ho'oponopono -- To put right, adjust, correct or rectify
  ·  ho'opuka -- to produce
  ·  Honoapiilani -- highway around Maui named after chief Piilani
  ·  honua -- land, earth, world.
hono -- is bay and you’ll hear or see it in a lot of place names such as Honolulu, Honolua, and Honokōhau
Ho'olaule'a -- means festival and it is a word used often throughout Hawai'i. Remember to put that last 'okina in there so you say it right: ho'olaule'a.
Honolulu -- Honolulu is a place name made up of two words "hono" which means "bay" and "lulu" which means "shelter, calm, or peaceful"; Honolulu means "sheltered bay"
hopenapule -- weekend. "I hopenapule maika'i." Have a nice weekend.

I

  ·  Iao -- Supreme cloud; area on Maui
  ·  ihi to peel
Ikaika -- Strong
  ·  Iki -- It's meanings include little or small as in Pu'u•iki (small hill) and Poho•iki (small depression)
  ·  I Mua -- to move forward, Oahu street
inoa -- "name" as in the question, "'O wai kou inoa?" What is your name?
  ·  inu -- to drink
  ·  loio -- judge
  ·  Iwilei -- A section of Honolulu
'ilihune -- poor. "E mālama i ka po'e 'ilihune." Care for the poor.

K

  ·  ka'a 'ōhua -- bus. "E kau ma luna o ke ka'a 'ōhua." Ride the bus.
  ·  ka'a maka'i -- police car
ka`a ohua   ·  kai -- ocean or sea. It is part of many place names like Hawai'i Kai, Kailua, and Kainaliu.
  ·  Kaena -- The heat; the north point area of Oahu
  ·  Kaha -- It's meanings include place and to pass by as in Kaha•lu'u (diving place) and Ke•au•kaha (the passing current)
  ·  kaha -- to grade
  ·  kàhea -- to call
  ·  Kahekili -- Maui chief, highway on Oahu, lightning
  ·  Kahi -- It's meanings include alone or single as in Lapa•kahi (single ridge) and Hana•kahi (single task)
  ·  Kahu -- Guardian
kaiaulu -- the winning
  ·  kaiāulu -- community. "E kōkua i kou kaiāulu." Help your community.
  ·  Kailua -- Two seas, Windward Oahu town
  ·  Kaimukì -- Ti oven, area on Oahu
  ·  kAko'o -- to uphold, support, favor, assist.
kakou – line over a
kākou -- "all of us" as long as there are at least 3 of us. "E pule kākou" means "Let us pray."
kala -- "to forgive," "pardon," or "let go." E kala mai means "forgive me" or "excuse me."
  ·  Kalakáua -- the day of war, monarch name: King David Kalakaua (there is a
  ·  kalaiwa -- to drive. "E kalaiwa pono." Drive safely.
  ·  Kalanianaole -- highway on Oahu, name of Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole
  ·  kalaupapa -- the flat plain
  ·  kama'Aina -- native born, acquainted, familiar.
  ·  kama'áina -- native born
  ·  Kamehameha -- first king, royal family; the lonely one, highway name
  ·  Kapalama -- lama wood house for chiefs, street on Oahu
Kapolei
  ·  Kanalua -- Doubtful, undecided, reluctance
  ·  kanawai -- law
  ·  Kāne'ohe -- is a large town in the Windward district of O'ahu. Kāne'ohe is made up of two words: kāne, which means "man," and 'ohe which means "bamboo." Kāne'ohe means "bamboo man".
  ·  Kaonohi -- fragment of rainbow, Oahu road
Kapi'olani -- means the arching heavens. It is the name of a queen, a hospital, and a very long street here in Honolulu.
kaulana -- is the Hawaiian word for "famous." "Kaulana Nā Pua" is a well-known and beloved Hawaiian song that means "Famous Are The Flowers."
  ·  Kaunakakai -- Beach landing; town on Molokai
  ·  kauo -- to tow or drag
  ·  kaupalena to set a deadline
  ·  Kapolei -- is Hawai'i fastest growing community. It is named after one of Pele's sisters and means "beloved Kapo."
Kāpulu -- messy, sloppy
  ·  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 -- It's meanings include shiny or white as in Mauna•kea (white mountain) and Pūpū•kea (white shell)
Kane`ohe -- line over a
  ·  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
keia -- line over e
  ·  kēia -- is the Hawaiian word for "this." "'O kēia ka Hua'ōlelo Hawai'i o ka Lā." This is the Hawaiian Word of the Day.
  ·  Kekúanaó'a -- the standing projections
  ·  kéná -- that (near the speaker)
  ·  keópua -- cloud bank
  ·  ke 'olu'olu -- please
keiki -- child, youngster, offspring, or descendant; it can also refer to the offshoot of a plant.
  ·  Kihei -- Shawl or cape; area on Maui
  ·  Kilauea -- spewing, much spreading, name of Big Island volcano
  ·  kiloi -- to throw away
Kina'u -- is the name of a street and a freeway off-ramp here in Honolulu. Kina`u was the mother to many high-ranking ali`i and hänai mother to Princess Pauahi.
  ·  kipa -- to visit
  ·  kipahulu> -- to fetch from exhausted gardens
  ·  kipo'o to indent
  ·  kiwi -- television
Kō -- It's meanings include sugar and sugarcane as in Kō'•ele (dark sugarcane) and Pua•kō (sugarcane blossom)
Ko'olau -- is the name of our largest mountain range here on O`ahu. Ko`olau means windward.
  ·  koekou to strum
komo -- is a word you have probably heard before. Komo means "to enter" as in "E komo mai!"
  ·  Komo mai -- to welcome, street on Oahu
Kona -- is a word you hear often: Kona the place or as "Kona winds." Kona means "leeward" and Kona winds usually refer to southerly winds.
Kua -- It's meanings include back or ridge as in Kua•mo'o (the spine) and Kua•lono (mountain ridge)
  ·  kU'E -- to oppose, resist, protest.
kula -- most often means "school".
  ·  kulAiwi -- native land, homeland.
kuleana -- an important word in the Hawaiian language: it means "privilege" and also "responsibility".
  ·  Kulikuli -- means noisy or deaf. It is also a scolding to "keep quiet." A nicer way to ask for quiet is to say "hāmau".
  ·  kùkàkùkà -- to discuss
  ·  Ku ka paila -- A big pile
  ·  kukula -- to build; to construct
  ·  kupa -- native, citizen.
  ·  Kupono -- Honest, proper, appropriate
kupuna -- means "grandparent"

l lanakila

M

ma'a -- accustomed to or used to. "I am ma'a to waking up early."
maika`i
manawale`a
Manoa -- line over first a
Mauna
mele

N

noho
nupepa
nūhou -- "Ua lohe 'oe i ka nūhou." Have you heard the nūhou?

O

  ·  'o ia mau nó -- the same as usual
'olu'olu -- is such a nice Hawaiian word. It means "nice," "pleasant," "gracious," and "please." E 'olu'olu mai means, "Would you please."
  ·  ´Ohana -- family, relative, or to be related, whether it’s a small ´ohana or an extended one
  ·  'óiwi -- native or native son
  ·  ola -- life
  ·  Ola Kino Maika'i -- Good health
  ·  ´Ōlelo -- word, language, statement, to speak; Ōlelo Hawaiyi means "Hawaiian language"
  ·  Olelo No'eau -- Wise saying
One -- It's meanings include sand and beach as in One•kahakaha (drawing in sand) and Pu'•u•one (sand hill)
  ·  one hAnau -- birth sands.
'onilele -- aerobics. "'Onilele is good for your health."
  ·  'onipa'a -- steadfast, immovable.
  ·  ´ōpala -- rubbish, trash, or litter; "kini ōpala" is where ōpala belongs: in the trash can.
  ·  ´ōpio -- youth, youngster, and junior. Today, it commonly refers to a teenager.

P

pa`ina – line over a
pehea
plaiwa
pono
popeku
powawae
pule

U

  ·  Ua -- rain
  ·  ua -- to shout, to cry
'Ula -- It's meanings include red or scarlet as in Hau•'ula (red hau tree) and Ke•awa•'ula (the red harbor)
  ·  ulu -- to grow, increase, spread.
  ·  Ulupalakua -- Breadfruit ripening; area on Maui
'Ukulele -- means "jumping flea" and is the name of a uniquely Hawaiian instrument, developed here in Hawai'i, based on the Portuguese braginha.

W wai
Waikoloa
Waimanalo
Wai`anae