Our Hawaiian word for today is aniani, something we all see, or see through every day. A common meaning for aniani is glass. We modify it for special meanings, such as aniani nānā for mirror, or aniani awe for fiber glass. It can be the modifier such as puka aniani for window.

Kaimukī, the name for a section of Honolulu, is another name often mispronounced by those familiar with the common Hawaiian word kai. Kaimukī means “the ti oven” and is a compound word made up of ka for “the,” imu for “oven,” and kī for “ti.”

Many people who don't speak Hawaiian ask how to make the glottal stop in your speech at the beginning of a word. ʻIolani is a good example. ʻIolani is the name of a palace, an avenue, a fine school, and many other things. And ʻiolani means “royal hawk.”

Anu can mean “temperature,” but when we talk of weather anu usually means “cold.” After a long, hot summer, many of us look forward to days that might be thought of as anu.

Our Hawaiian word for today is kēhau for “dew.” Kēhau is often seen on the grass in the higher elevations, and the word kēhau comes up often in Hawaiian songs and chants. Kēhau is also a popular given name.

Ala kalaiwa means driveway. You often see Ala used to mean street, path, or way. As in Ala Moana or Ala Wai. Kalaiwa means drive, and since modifiers follow nouns in Hawaiian, we say ala kalaiwa for driveway.

ʻAina kakahiaka is how we say breakfast in Hawaiian, and that is our Hawaiian Word of the Day. ʻAina means meal, and kakahiaka means morning.

Pehea means how or what. It is most often heard in the greeting “Pehea ʻoe?” It is used by both Hawaiian speakers and many who know only a few words. Pehea ʻoe? – How are you?

Hoʻoponopono means to make right. And it is a Hawaiian way of putting things in order, settling problems by sitting down together and talking it out. Hoʻoponopono is something we should all be aware of and practice.

Our Hawaiian word for today is a famous Kaua‘i place name, Waiʻaleʻale. It means “rippling, or overflowing water.” Waiʻaleʻale is the highest mountain on Kauaʻi, and boasts an annual rainfall of more than 475 inches a year.