Hawaiʻian Nouns
Kikino (noun-like words)
Haʻiinoa = Noun
On the home page there were a few Kaʻi, here are some more that can be used to preceed these nouns:
- Kēlā = That
- Kēia = This
- Koʻu = My
- Kou = Your
- Kona = His, hers, or it's
-ʻ-
ʻahi = Yellowfin Tuna
ʻāina = Land
ʻāina nui = Mainland
ʻalapahi = Lie, (Ka ʻalapahi nui = the big lie, a Hawaiʻi 50 title)
ʻapelila = April
ʻaukake = August
ʻaumakua = Family God (NB Plural = ʻaumākua)
ʻea = Plastic
ʻeke = Bag, sack NB takes Ke
ʻekeʻea = Plastic bag/sack NB takes Ke
ʻeke nua = Backpack
ʻiaunual = January
>ʻkepili = Data
ʻili = Skin
ʻili = Sub division of an Ahupuaʻa
ʻokina = A 'glottal stop', a consonant in it's own right, causes a slight pause in the word, similar to the pause in 'oh-oh'.
ʻīlio = Dog
ʻio = Hawaiian Hawk
ʻohana = Family
ʻokakopa = October
ʻōlelo = Language, speach
ʻuku = Flea, louse, small, tiny
ʻukulele = Ukulele (Literally a 'jumping flea')
=
=
=
=
=
-A-
Aʻu = Swordfish
Ahiahi = Evening
Ahupuaʻa = Land, first sub divison of a Moku, usually pie shaped, running from the mountain to the sea
Ala = Path
Alanui = Road (literally 'Big path')
Alaloa = Highway (literally 'Long path')
Aliʻi = Chief
Ana = Cave
Anawela = Thermometer
Anuanu = Cold (the feeling)
Ao = Cloud, first light of day
Apo = Circle, ring, loop
Apolima = Bracelet
Awa = Chanel, port
=
=
-E-
Ea = Life, sovereignty,
Ehu = Dust, spray, pollen
Ēwe = Sprout, lineage, kin
=
=
-H-
Hae = Flag (Kuʻu Hae Aloha (My Beloved Flag))
Hānauna = Community
Haʻiʻano = Adjective
Haʻiinoa = Noun
Haʻina = Verb
Haku = Lord, boss, master, to compose
Haku hale = Landlord, house owner
Haku mele = Composer of songs
Hala = Pandanus tree
Hale = House, building
Hale ʻaina = Restaurant
Hale kaʻa = Garage
Hale keaka = Theatre
Hale kūʻai = Shop. (Kūʻai = to buy)
Hale leka = Post office
Hale maʻi = Hospital
Hale mākaʻi = Police Station
Hale pili = Grass house
Hale pule = Church
Hame = Ham
Hana = Work, job,action, to work, do
Hana o ke aupuni = Government job
Hana nui = Hard work
Haole = Haole (how-lay) (Caucasian person, often used as a pejorative; often mispronounced hauli)
Hapa haole = Part Caucasian
Hau = Dew
Heʻe = Octopus, commonly known as squid
Heiau = Platform for worship
Heihei = Race (as in running race)
Hemahema = Uncoordinated; weak; maladroit
Hewa = A sin, bad, naughty etc
Hipa = Sheep
Hoaʻāina = Tennant, caretaker, (literally friend of the land)
Hoahānu = Cousin
Hoaloa = Friend
Hoe = Paddle
Hōkū = Star
Honi = Kiss
Honu = Turtle
Hua = Fruit
Hua moa = Chicken's egg
Hua moa palai = Fried egg
Hua Kai = Scrambled egg
Hui = Club, association
Huʻihuʻi =cold (the object)
Humāna = Student
-I-
Iʻa = Fish or other marine creature
Iho = Battery
Inu = Nose
Inoa = Name
Inoa ʻohana = Surname (literally family name)
Inu = Drink
Ipo = Sweetheart
Ipu = Gourd, container
Iune = June
Iulai = July
Imu = Earth oven
Iwi = Bone, shell
>
=
=
=
=
-K-
Kaʻa = Car, vehicle
Kaʻaahi = Train, railroad
Kaʻa hoʻolima = Rental car, taxi
Kaʻa lawe maʻi = Ambulance
Kahakai = Beach
Kahakō = Macron, long stress mark over Hawaiʻian vowel
Kahawai = Stream (of water)
Kahua = Field, flat plain
Kahuna = Priest, expert
Kai = Sea
Kai piha / kai ulu = High tide
Kai maloʻo = Low tide
Kai eʻe = Tidal wave
Kakahiaka = Morning, time between 6am and 10am
Kakahiaka nui = Early morning, time between 12pm and 6am
Kakalina = Gasoline
Kālā = Money, dollar
Kalo = Taro
Kamaʻāiana = Native born person
Kāmaʻa = Shoe
Kanaka = Human, Person
Kāne = Man
Kane = Skin disease
Kapa = Bark cloth
Kau = Season
Kauā = Servant or slave.(Be careful when you are saying kāua (you and I) that you aren’t saying kauā!)
Kauka = Doctor
Kauna = Town
Keiki = Child
Keiki kāne = Son
Kekemapa = December
Kenekulia = Century (I kēlā kenekulia aku nei = Last century)
Kepakemapa = September
Ki = Tea
Kīʻaha = Cup, mug
Kiʻi = Picture
Kila = Chisel
Kino = Body NB takes Ke, not ka!
Kipuka = Clearing in lava flow where vegitation grows
Koa = Hawaiian hardwood tree
Koa = Warrior, fearless
Koʻa = Corall, coral head, fishing grounds
Kona = Leeward side of Island
Koʻolau = Windward side of island
Kua = Ridge, Back (of body)
Kui kala = Screw driver
Kukui = Light, candlenut
Kula = School
Kula nui = University (literally big school)
Kuleana = Small piece of property (as within an ahupuaʻa)
Kumu = Leader, teacher, source
Kupuna = Grandparent. (Kūpuna =Grandparents)
=
=
=
-L-
Lā = Day, sun
Lāhui = Nation, race
Lā nui = Holiday
Lā uku = Pay day
Laiki = Rice
Lama = Rum
Lānai = Terrace, outdoor covered deck
Lani = Sky, heaven
Lau = Leaf, frond
Lauoho = Hair (on human head)
Lawaiʻa = Fisherman
Leo = Voice, tone, command, advice
Leo mana = Voice of authority
Leo mele = Scale or key of song
Leo nui = Loud voice
Lepo = Soil
Lua = Toilet, pit
Lima = Hand
Limu = Sea weed
Loʻi = Taro patch
Lolouila = Computer (literally 'electric brain')
Lumi = Room
Lumi moe = Bed room (moe = bed)
=
=
=
=
=
-M-
Māhele = Portion, division, section. Traditional section or division of land
Mahina = Moon, month (I kēlā mahina aku nei = Last month)
Maiʻa = Banana
Maile = Vine, used in traditional Lei making
Malihini = Visitor
Maka = Eye, face
Makaaniani = Eye glasses
Makaʻāinana = Commoner, person of the land
Makahiki = Year (I kēlā makahiki aku nei = Last year)
Makai = Ocean
Makani = Wind
Makita = Mosquito
Makua = Parent, any relative of the parent's generation, adult, full grown, mature
Makuahine = Aunt
Malaki = March
Manamana wāwae = Toe
Manamana wāwae nui = Big toe
Manō = Shark
Manu = Bird
Mauna = Mountain
Mea = Thing
Mea ola =Life form, (literally a living thing)
Mea ono = Sweet, cookie etc, (literally a delicious thing)
Mei = May
Mele = Song
Meli = Bee (Nano meli = Honey)
Moa = Chicken
Moana = Sea
Mokuna = Chapter
Moe = Bed
Mōkoli = Policeman
Moku = Island, division of an island. (Subdivison of an Ahupuaʻa)
Mokupuni = Island
Mokulele = Airplane (literally island jumper)
Mokuahi = Cruiseship
Moʻo = Lizard,
Moʻolelo = Story, history, legend, tale
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
-N-
Nalo = Housefly
Nalu = Wave (in sea), Heʻe nalu = Surfer/to surf
Nananana = Spider
Naonao = Ant
Napoʻo = End, cavity, hollow, depression
Nēnē = Hawaiian Goose
Niho = Tooth
Nihoniho = Jagged, serrated
Niu = Coconut
Noe = Mist
Noho = Chair
Nowemapa = November
Nūpepa = Newspaper
=
=
=
=
-O-
Ola = Health
Oli = Chant
One = Sand
Ono = Wahoo (a fish)
ʻono = Delicious
=
=
=
=
-P-
Paʻakai = Sea salt or, literally, “to solidify the sea”
Wahine Paʻakai is female salt (sea salt with red clay added). Kāne Paʻakai is male salt (white).
Paeʻāina = Group of islands, archiplelago
Pahu = Drum
Pai = Pie
Paia = Wall
Pākaukau = Desk, table
Palapala = Printed word
Palekaiko = Paradise
Palena = Boundary, limit, border
Pali = Cliff, precipice
Paloa = Bread
Pane = Answer
Papa = Class
Papa heʻe nalu = Surf board
Pāpale = Hat
Peni = Pen (to write with)
Penikala = Pencil
Pēpē = Baby
Pepeluali = February
Pia = Beer
Piko = Navel, umbelical cord, center, source
Pili = Grass
Pipi = Beef, cow
Pō = Night, darkness, ignorance
Pōhaku = Rock, stone
Poi = Taro paste
Pōpoki = Cat
Pua = Flower
Puaʻa = Pig
Pueo = Hawaiian short-eared owl
Puʻuwai = Heart
Puka = Door, hole
Pukaaniani = Window
Pukapuka = Porous
Puke = Book
Pule = Prayer, week (I kēlā pule aku nei = Last week)
Pulelehua = Butterfly
Puna = Spring
Pū = Conch Shell, also any blown wind instrument
Pūpū = Snack, appetizer, also a generic name for a shell
=
=
=
=
-U-
Ū = Breast (waiū = Milk)
waiū = Milk
Ua = Rain
Uaki = Clock
Uea = Wire
Uila = Electricity
Uila au-kahi = DC Electricity
Uila au mā-ʻaloʻalo = AC Electricity
Uila huila makani = Wind generated electricity
Uku = Wages, pay, price, tax (Lā uku = Pay day)
\
Ukulawelawe = Tip
Ulahi = Snow
Ulahi hau = Snow flake
Ulukukui = Kukui grove
Umauma moe = Chicken breast
=
=
=
=
-W-
Waha = Mouth
Waha heʻe = War (Heʻe = Octopus)
Waʻa = Canoe
Wahine = Woman, wife
Wāhine = Women
Wai = Water
Wai ea = Airiated water, fizzy water
Wai meli = Honey
Waiū = Milk (ū = Breast)
Waiūpaʻa = Cheese (Literally solid milk)
Wailele = Waterfall (Literally 'water jumping')
Wailua = Place where two waters meet, spirit, ghost, corpse
Waina = Wine
Wāwae = Leg, foot
Waiwai = Property, goods, worth, rich, valuable
Waiwai paāa = Real estate
Wā = Space, interval (Between objects or in time)
Wā mahope = Future, time after
Wāmamua = Past, time before
=
=
=
=
Back to top