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Hawaiian Word of The Day

Hawaiian Word of the Day

Hawaiian Word of the Day: December 9th

By Leilani Poliʻahu

Published December 9, 2025 at 12:00 AM HST

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Hale noho haumāna is the Hawaiian word for dormitory, a place where students live.

Hawaiian Word of the Day

Leilani Poliʻahu

See stories by Leilani Poliʻahu

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Hawaiian Word of the Day: December 8th

Leilani Poliʻahu

Almost everyone knows that a doorway is a puka. But how do you say door? Try pani puka. Pani puka is the thing that closes, blocks, or covers an opening. Puka is the doorway, ke pani puka is the door itself.
Hawaiian Word of The Day

Hawaiian Word of the Day: December 5th

Leilani Poliʻahu

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.