Hawaiian Word of the Day: August 12th

By Leilani Poliʻahu

Published August 12, 2022 at 12:00 AM HST

Oʻahu is the name of the third largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago. Although it is often disputed, many say it means “the gathering place.” The main thing is to pronounce it correctly.

Hawaiian Word of the Day

Leilani Poliʻahu

See stories by Leilani Poliʻahu

More Episodes

Hawaiian Word of The Day

Hawaiian Word of the Day: July 26th

Leilani Poliʻahu

We so often see kuʻuipo on Hawaiian jewelry that we tend to overlook another beautiful Hawaiian word for sweetheart. It is huapala. Literally, it means “ripe fruit”— a fruit that is ready for picking, and that's how Hawaiians call their sweetheart.
Hawaiian Word of The Day

Hawaiian Word of the Day: July 25th

Leilani Poliʻahu

Another Hawaiian place name that is often mispronounced is Waiāhole. It is a compound name from wai for “water,” and āhole for a type of fish.