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Hawaiian Word of The Day

Hawaiian Word of the Day

Hawaiian Word of the Day: August 23rd

By Leilani Poliʻahu

Published August 23, 2024 at 12:00 AM HST

Lāʻie is one of the most often mispronounced Hawaiian place names on Oʻahu. It means the ʻie leaf.

Lāʻie is one of the most often mispronounced Hawaiian place names on Oʻahu. It means the ʻie leaf.

Hawaiian Word of the Day

Leilani Poliʻahu

See stories by Leilani Poliʻahu

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Hawaiian Word of the Day: August 27th

Leilani Poliʻahu

Pau is one of the most commonly used, and misused, of Hawaiian words. Pau kahana – the work is finished. Yes, pau means finished, ended, all done, final, even consumed and destroyed. Work is finished, so you can say “pau kahana.” But don?t say “I'm pau,” that would mean you are dead or finished. And don't ask, “Are you pau?”
Hawaiian Word of The Day

Hawaiian Word of the Day: August 26th

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Especially during pageants and parades, we see flowers that have been designated as the island flower for each major island. The kaunaʻoa of Lanaʻi is such a flower. It is the native dodder, a parasitic vine belonging to the morning glory family.