Glossary

The following words and phrases are non-English terms. The language family of each word or phrase is indicated by a letter or letters in parentheses:

(H)      Hawaiian
(HCE) Hawaiian Creole English
(J)        Japanese

A

`ae (H) yes
`ai (H) food, eat
akamai (H) smart, clever, expert
alaka`i (H) to lead, guide; leader
ali`i (H) chief
`a `ole (H) no
au (H) time, once upon a time
`au (H) to swim
`au`au (H) to bathe

B

bento (J) Box lunch
borinque (HCE) Puerto Rican
brah (HCE) brother, man
bumbye (HCE) eventually

D

da kine (HCE) non-specific reference term

H

haole (H) white person
hapa (H) half
hele (H) to go, come, walk, move
hele mai (H) to come (towards the speaker)
hiki (H) can, able
holoholo (H) to take a stroll, to take a ride, to go out for pleasure
ho`olaule`a (H) celebration
ho`olohe (H) hear
ho`omakaukau (H) get ready
hui (H) halloo
huli (H) to turn, to turn over

I

i (H) direct and indirect object—to, at, in, on, by, etc.
`ike (H) recognize, understand

K

ka`awale (H) to separate
kai (H) ocean
kalua (H) to bake in an underground oven
kani (H) sound, noise
kapu (H) taboo
kaula `ili (H) lariat, skin-rope
kauo (H) to tow, drag
keiki (H) child
kepuka (H) trick
kino (H) person, self
kipuka (H) snare
ko (H) preposition—of
koa (H) the largest native forest tree
kokua (H) help
kolohe (H) naughty
kona (H) leeward side of an island, leeward wind
kuleana (H) right, concern, responsibility

L

laka (H) tame
lanai (H) porch
lauhala (H) pandanus leaf
limu (H) moss, algae, seaweed, any water plant
lio (H) horse
loko (H) inside, inner
lolo (H) crazy
lu`au (H) feast

M

maka (H) eye
makai (H) at the ocean
maka`i (H) guard
maka`u (H) fear, afraid
make (H) die, dead
malama (H) take care of
mamua (H) forward
mauka (H) at the mountains

O

ohana (H) family
okole (H) buttocks
o`o (H) digging stick

P

pakalolo (H) marijuana
pake (H) Chinese
pani (H) shut, close
panini (H) the prickly pear
paniolo (H) cowboy
pau (H) ended
pehea (H) how? what?
pehea `oe (H) how are you?
pili (H) to stick, to cling
pine (H) tame bullock tied to a wild cow or bull
pipi (H) cattle, beef
poi (H) Hawaiian staple, made from boiled taro root
puka (H) hole

T

tita (HCE) tough woman
tutu (HCE) grandmother, or grandmother-figure

U

`ulu (H) Breadfruit
ulumanu (H) flock of birds

W

wa (H) time
wala`au (H) to speak, to converse
wau (H) var. of au