Hawaiian Word of the Day: September 19th

By Leilani Poliʻahu

Published September 19, 2023 at 12:00 AM HST

Kānāwai means “law, code, rule, statute, act, regulation, ordinance." There are many famous kānāwai, like the Law of the Splintered Paddle, and many we may not like. Ke kānāwai is “the law.”

Hawaiian Word of the Day

Leilani Poliʻahu

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Hawaiian Word of The Day

Hawaiian Word of the Day: April 25th

Leilani Poliʻahu

Although mahina has several other meanings, the most common usage of the word is for moon, or month, or moonlight. It is also a crescent shaped fishhook, the eye of the snail at the end of its horn, a farm, plantation or patch, a variety of onion, and a variety of sweet potato. You hear it most often as moon or month – it's mahina.
Hawaiian Word of The Day

Hawaiian Word of the Day: April 24th

Leilani Poliʻahu

Everyone is familiar with the word hānau from the popular greeting “hauʻoli lā hānau,” but many mispronounce it and often use it incorrectly. Hānau means to give birth. To say that one was born, requires adding the passive article ʻia, as in, “Hānau ʻia ʻo Kaʻimi Pono” – Kaʻimi Pono was born. In either case, be sure to stress the first vowel.