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Hawaiian Word of The Day

Hawaiian Word of the Day

Hawaiian Word of the Day: February 24th

By Leilani Poliʻahu

Published February 24, 2025 at 12:00 AM HST

Pāʻia means noisy. It is best known as a small town in East Maui, and because it is so often misspelled, it is mispronounced.

Pāʻia means noisy. It is best known as a small town in East Maui, and because it is so often misspelled, it is mispronounced.

Hawaiian Word of the Day

Leilani Poliʻahu

See stories by Leilani Poliʻahu

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Hawaiian Word of The Day

Hawaiian Word of the Day: June 24th

Leilani Poliʻahu

We hear the word tūtū used so often, but many of us not know that kūkū is another perhaps more traditional pronunciation for today's Hawaiian word. It means "granny, grandma, grandpa," or any relative or close friend of your grandparents' generation. You can say kūkū kane for grandfather, or kūkū wahine for grandmother, but kūkū by itself will always suffice.
Hawaiian Word of The Day

Hawaiian Word of the Day: June 23rd

Leilani Poliʻahu

Wahiawā is one of those beautiful Oʻahu place names that is so often mispronounced. It means "place of noise," for the rough seas could be heard all the way to Wahiawā.