Hawaiian Word of the Day: August 4th

By Leilani Poliʻahu

Published August 4, 2023 at 12:00 AM HST

Kahakai means beach, sea shore, sea coast, seaside, or strand. Ke kahakai o waikīkī is Waikīkī Beach, but it works just as well as a generic term: e hele kākou i kahakai – let's go to the beach.

Hawaiian Word of the Day

Leilani Poliʻahu

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Hawaiian Word of The Day

Hawaiian Word of the Day: September 6th

Leilani Poliʻahu

Kumu means source, foundation, basis, root. Nānā i ke kumu means to look at the source, and we use the same word for teacher. ‘O wau ke kumu—I am the teacher.
Hawaiian Word of The Day

Hawaiian Word of the Day: September 5th

Leilani Poliʻahu

Although it is often mispronounced, muʻumuʻu is one of the best-known Hawaiian words. It means “cut off, shortened,” and is the name so often given to a loose-fitting gown, because the yoke was often missing, and the sleeves short. Its first meaning, however, is “amputated, maimed.”