Our Hawaiian word for today is ʻAuina lā. ʻAuina means “descending” and lā means “sun.” So the afternoon when the sun is setting is called the ʻauina lā. Aloha ʻauina lā is a good afternoon greeting.

Kāne is the Hawaiian word for man. You see this often in names like Kāneʻohe, which means bamboo man, and in many family names as well. It is also used for: male, husband, male sweetheart, and masculine.

Most people who live in Hawaiʻi know what a maile lei is, but it is one of those Hawaiian words that is all too often mispronounced. Maile is a native twining shrub with shiny, fragrant leaves, used for decorations and lei, especially on important occasions. Maile is pronounced “mai-lei,” not to be confused with the Leeward Oʻahu community called Māʻili.

Kikowaena means “center.” You can use it to describe such things as a shopping center. Ala Moana Center, for example, is kikowaena kūʻai ʻo Ala Moana.

Ulu means “to grow, increase, spread.” It is often used in conjunction with such words as wehi. Ulu wehi, for example, means “lush and beautiful, festively adorned.”

Our Hawaiian Word of the Day is waiū, for “milk.”

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.”

Alapiʻi means stairs, steps, ladder or any ascent. Even a musical scale can be called an alapiʻi mele. Be careful when you walk up the alapiʻi!

ʻAʻole means “no.” ʻAʻole is an interjection which also means “not, never,” and you may hear it pronounced ʻaʻale. You will commonly hear it even in English conversation when people say - ʻaʻole pilikia – no trouble.

Here's a simple, short Hawaiian Word of the Day for you, it is ʻae. It means “yes, to say yes, consent, to confirm, grant, agree, approve, permit.” It is the word you so often want to hear in answer to your questions.