20 odd-funny Hawaiian expressions

For those of you not from Hawaii, here are some Hawaiian expressions that you might encounter should you have a chance to visit here. Except for the last two, I took all of the following from Jill Kozak in the May 14, 2015 issue of matador.com, a travel website:

1. Locals  don’t cheer when they’re excited. They shout “Cheehoo!”

2.  When everything is all messed up, things are definitely “hamajang.”

3.  You don’t get hurt in Hawaii, you get “buss (bust) up.”

4.  A Hawaii local never has a lot of something, but always has “choke” amounts.

      Example: “Punaluu beach has choke turtles.”

5. A Hawaii local never travels seaside, but always goes “Makai.” Likewise, a local never goes toward the mountains, but “mauka.”

6. If something is bad, a local will most definitely call it “junk.”

7. You might think you just got in a fight, but really, you got “in one scrap.”

8. A mainland mother might tell you to change your underwear every day, a local mom will remind you to change your “bibidees.”

9. You don’t go to the bathroom to make number 1, you always make “shi-shi.”

10. Others will question whether or not you’re a local if you don’t call soy sauce “shoyu.”

11. Anything that’s a pain in the butt is mostly definitely “humbug”

12. When your nose is runny, auntie might scold you to blow out your”hanabata.”

13. If your tan  needs work and your pale skin is noticeable, someone might call you “Daikon legs.”

14. Sitting on a hard surface too long or dealing with hamajang situations is certainly a pain in the “okole.”

15. A Hawaii local doesn’t smoke marijuana, but smokes “pakalolo.”

16. Locals don’t’ ask if you’re finished, they ask if you “stay pau.”

And if I may add my own to the above…

17. When locals eat, they “kaw kaw” and food is "grindz"

18. "Grindz" that tastes good is very "ono."

19. Hawaiians  go not to the supermarket but to “da store.”

20. A disagreement  is a "pilikia."

Shown above is part of the Big Island's Ahalanui county park which boasts of a palm-fringed thermally heated hot pond right next to the ocean. I saw a rainbow on the horizon one afternoon I was there and took this shot.

Another view of the warm pond. Photo source: google.com

Looking at the warm pond from the ocean side. Photo source: google.com 

Posted with Aloha

- By ARIEL MURPHY